Pencilpoint vs Basil
Pencilpoint is a PPG color while Basil comes from Sherwin-Williams. Pencilpoint reads as grey, while Basil reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. With LRVs of 17 and 15, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. At ΔE 8.6, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pencilpoint vs Basil in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Pencilpoint and Basil 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Mudroom
A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Pencilpoint vs Basil Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pencilpoint on one side and Basil 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 Pencilpoint comparisons
See how Pencilpoint stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
