Old Silk vs Clary Sage
Where Old Silk belongs to PPG's range, Clary Sage is a Sherwin-Williams color. Old Silk reads as blue-grey, while Clary Sage reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Clary Sage (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Old Silk (LRV 17), a difference of 24 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 27.3, 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.
Old Silk vs Clary Sage in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Old Silk 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 Old Silk 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 Old Silk.
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 Old Silk.
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 Old Silk.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Old Silk.
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 Old Silk.
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 Old Silk would.
Color Details
Old Silk vs Clary Sage Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Old Silk 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 Old Silk comparisons
See how Old Silk stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
