Northern Mystic vs Downing Slate
Northern Mystic (Jotun) and Downing Slate (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Northern Mystic belongs to the green-grey family and Downing Slate to the blue-grey family. The 6-point LRV gap — 21 for Downing Slate vs 15 for Northern Mystic — means Downing Slate will open up a space more effectively. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 13.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Northern Mystic vs Downing Slate in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Northern Mystic and Downing Slate 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Downing Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Downing Slate has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Downing Slate has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Downing Slate has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Northern Mystic vs Downing Slate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Northern Mystic on one side and Downing Slate 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 Northern Mystic comparisons
See how Northern Mystic stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
