Impression vs Steel Curtain
Where Impression belongs to Jotun's range, Steel Curtain is a PPG color. Hue-wise, Impression belongs to the beige-greige family and Steel Curtain to the grey family. Impression (LRV 40) reflects noticeably more light than Steel Curtain (LRV 34), a difference of 6 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 15.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Impression vs Steel Curtain in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Impression and Steel Curtain in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — Impression gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Impression reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Impression reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Impression has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Impression reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Impression reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Impression vs Steel Curtain Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Impression on one side and Steel Curtain 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 Impression comparisons
See how Impression stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
