Swirling Smoke vs Papyrus white
Swirling Smoke (PPG) and Papyrus white (RAL Classic) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Swirling Smoke belongs to the greige-grey family and Papyrus white to the green-grey family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 60 vs 59 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 2.8 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Swirling Smoke vs Papyrus white in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Swirling Smoke and Papyrus 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.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Color Details
Swirling Smoke vs Papyrus white Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Swirling Smoke on one side and Papyrus 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 Swirling Smoke comparisons
See how Swirling Smoke stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
