Obsidian Green vs Clary Sage
Where Obsidian Green belongs to Little Greene's range, Clary Sage is a Sherwin-Williams color. Obsidian Green reads as green, while Clary Sage reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Clary Sage (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Obsidian Green (LRV 1), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Obsidian Green runs green while Clary Sage is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 59.9, 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 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Obsidian Green vs Clary Sage in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Obsidian Green and Clary Sage 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 Clary Sage will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Obsidian Green 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. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian Green.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian Green.
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. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian Green.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian Green.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Clary Sage will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Obsidian Green would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian Green.
Color Details
Obsidian Green vs Clary Sage Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Obsidian Green on one side and Clary Sage 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 Obsidian Green comparisons
See how Obsidian Green stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
