Acier vs Elephant Ear
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Acier reads as grey, while Elephant Ear reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Acier (LRV 32) reflects noticeably more light than Elephant Ear (LRV 28), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Acier runs neutral while Elephant Ear is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 4.1 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Acier vs Elephant Ear in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Acier and Elephant Ear 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Acier gives the walls a little more lift.
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. Acier reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Acier reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Acier vs Elephant Ear Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Acier on one side and Elephant Ear 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 Acier comparisons
See how Acier stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
