Steely Gaze vs Aesthetic White
Where Steely Gaze belongs to PPG's range, Aesthetic White is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Steely Gaze belongs to the grey family and Aesthetic White to the beige-greige family. Aesthetic White (LRV 73) reflects noticeably more light than Steely Gaze (LRV 60), a difference of 13 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. The ΔE 7.7 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Steely Gaze vs Aesthetic White in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Steely Gaze and Aesthetic White 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
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 Aesthetic White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Steely Gaze 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. Aesthetic White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Aesthetic White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
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. Aesthetic White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
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. Aesthetic White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
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. Aesthetic White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
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 Aesthetic White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Steely Gaze would.
Color Details
Steely Gaze vs Aesthetic White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Steely Gaze on one side and Aesthetic White 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 Steely Gaze comparisons
See how Steely Gaze stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
