S 8000-N vs Plum Brown
S 8000-N (NCS) and Plum Brown (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 5 vs 6 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where S 8000-N leans neutral, Plum Brown reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 7.2 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
S 8000-N vs Plum Brown in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. S 8000-N and Plum Brown 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
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. Plum Brown brings more warmth to the space, while S 8000-N keeps things cooler and crisper.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Plum Brown brings more warmth to the space, while S 8000-N keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
S 8000-N vs Plum Brown Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see S 8000-N on one side and Plum Brown 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 8000-N comparisons
See how S 8000-N stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 5, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 5, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 5, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 5, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 5, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 5), opening up a space where S 8000-N encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 5, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 5), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 5, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 5, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.