Smooth White vs Pure White
Smooth White is a Jotun color while Pure White comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Smooth White belongs to the greige-grey family and Pure White to the beige-greige family. At LRV 84 vs 59, Pure White will read as the brighter of the two — a 25-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a warm quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 12.0, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smooth White vs Pure White in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smooth White and Pure White 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Pure White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Smooth White would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Smooth White would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Smooth White would.
Color Details
Smooth White vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smooth White on one side and Pure White 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 Smooth White comparisons
See how Smooth White stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 83 vs 59, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 6, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
Smooth White reads slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (59 vs 52) makes Smooth White the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 60 and 59, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 59 vs 58), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 59 vs 27, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (59 vs 55) makes Smooth White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 59 vs 13, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 44, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (66 vs 59) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 74 vs 59, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 59, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Smooth White reads slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 59 vs 12, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 8, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (68 vs 59) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
At LRV 59 vs 12, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 45, Smooth White is decisively the brighter choice.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Smooth White reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.