Soft Grey vs Artichoke
Where Soft Grey belongs to Jotun's range, Artichoke is a Sherwin-Williams color. Soft Grey reads as greige-grey, while Artichoke reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Soft Grey (LRV 40) reflects noticeably more light than Artichoke (LRV 21), a difference of 19 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Soft Grey runs warm while Artichoke is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 18.6, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Soft Grey vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Soft Grey and Artichoke 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 LRV gap is large enough that Soft Grey will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Soft Grey reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
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. Soft Grey reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
Color Details
Soft Grey vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soft Grey on one side and Artichoke 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 Soft Grey comparisons
See how Soft Grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 40, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Soft Grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 40 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 40), opening up a space where Soft Grey encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 40, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 27, Soft Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 40, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (44 vs 40) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 40), opening up a space where Soft Grey encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 40, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 40, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 12, Soft Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 40, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 12, Soft Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (45 vs 40) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Soft Grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 40 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Soft Grey reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Soft Grey reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 40), opening up a space where Soft Grey encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 40), opening up a space where Soft Grey encloses it.