Selvedge vs Serious Gray
Selvedge (Farrow & Ball) and Serious Gray (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 3-point LRV gap — 25 for Selvedge vs 23 for Serious Gray — means Selvedge will open up a space more effectively. Where Selvedge leans cool, Serious Gray reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 5.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Selvedge vs Serious Gray in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Selvedge and Serious Gray are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Selvedge reads more restrained here, while Serious Gray adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Selvedge vs Serious Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Selvedge on one side and Serious Gray on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Selvedge comparisons
See how Selvedge stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 25, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (30 vs 25) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 25, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
With LRVs of 27 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 25, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 25, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
Selvedge reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
Selvedge reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 25), opening up a space where Selvedge encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (31 vs 25) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 25 vs 7, Selvedge is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 25, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.