S 4500-N vs Elephant Ear
Where S 4500-N belongs to NCS's range, Elephant Ear is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, S 4500-N belongs to the grey family and Elephant Ear to the greige-grey family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (27 vs 28), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. S 4500-N runs neutral while Elephant Ear is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 5.6 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 4500-N vs Elephant Ear in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. S 4500-N and Elephant Ear 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.
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. Elephant Ear brings more warmth to the space, while S 4500-N keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Elephant Ear brings more warmth to the space, while S 4500-N keeps things cooler and crisper.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The temperature contrast between Elephant Ear and S 4500-N is what sets these apart most in this context.
Color Details
S 4500-N vs Elephant Ear Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see S 4500-N on one side and Elephant Ear 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 4500-N comparisons
See how S 4500-N stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 27, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 27), opening up a space where S 4500-N encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 27), opening up a space where S 4500-N encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 27, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 27), opening up a space where S 4500-N encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 27, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 27, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 27), opening up a space where S 4500-N encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 27, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 27, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 12, S 4500-N is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 8, S 4500-N is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 27, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 12, S 4500-N is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 27, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.