S 3502-B vs Earl Grey
Where S 3502-B belongs to NCS's range, Earl Grey is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. S 3502-B (LRV 35) reflects noticeably more light than Earl Grey (LRV 32), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 3.9 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
S 3502-B vs Earl Grey in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. S 3502-B and Earl Grey are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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 brightness difference is modest but present — S 3502-B gives the walls a little more lift.
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. S 3502-B reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. S 3502-B reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
S 3502-B vs Earl Grey Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see S 3502-B on one side and Earl Grey 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 S 3502-B comparisons
See how S 3502-B stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 35), opening up a space where S 3502-B encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 35, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (35 vs 30) makes S 3502-B the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 35, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 35), opening up a space where S 3502-B encloses it.
S 3502-B reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 8-point LRV gap (43 vs 35) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 35), opening up a space where S 3502-B encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 35), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 35, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 35), opening up a space where S 3502-B encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 35), opening up a space where S 3502-B encloses it.
S 3502-B reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
S 3502-B reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 35), opening up a space where S 3502-B encloses it.
S 3502-B reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 35), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 4-point LRV gap (35 vs 31) makes S 3502-B the marginally brighter of the two.