Steely Gaze vs Drift of Mist
Steely Gaze (PPG) and Drift of Mist (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Steely Gaze belongs to the grey family and Drift of Mist to the greige-grey family. The 9-point LRV gap — 69 for Drift of Mist vs 60 for Steely Gaze — means Drift of Mist will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 5.5 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Steely Gaze vs Drift of Mist in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Steely Gaze and Drift of Mist 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. Drift of Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Steely Gaze would.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Drift of Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steely Gaze.
Color Details
Steely Gaze vs Drift of Mist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Steely Gaze on one side and Drift of Mist 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.
