Windmill Lane vs Thistle
Windmill Lane (Little Greene) and Thistle (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Windmill Lane belongs to the green-grey family and Thistle to the grey family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 31 vs 30 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Windmill Lane leans green, Thistle reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 22.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Windmill Lane vs Thistle in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Windmill Lane and Thistle 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. Thistle brings more warmth to the space, while Windmill Lane keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Windmill Lane vs Thistle Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Windmill Lane on one side and Thistle 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 Windmill Lane comparisons
See how Windmill Lane stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
