Steel Curtain vs Clary Sage
Where Steel Curtain belongs to PPG's range, Clary Sage is a Sherwin-Williams color. Steel Curtain reads as grey, while Clary Sage reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Clary Sage (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Steel Curtain (LRV 34), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 10.6, 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.
Steel Curtain vs Clary Sage in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Steel Curtain 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Clary Sage gives the walls a little more lift.
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 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Clary Sage gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Steel Curtain vs Clary Sage Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Steel Curtain 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 Steel Curtain comparisons
See how Steel Curtain stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
