After the Rain vs Cardinal
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, After the Rain belongs to the blue family and Cardinal to the pink-red family. At LRV 49 vs 8, After the Rain will read as the brighter of the two — a 42-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — After the Rain's cool character against Cardinal's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 93.4, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
After the Rain vs Cardinal in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing After the Rain and Cardinal 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. After the Rain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that After the Rain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cardinal would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that After the Rain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cardinal would.
Dining Room
Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. After the Rain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cardinal.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that After the Rain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cardinal would.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that After the Rain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cardinal would.
Mudroom
A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. After the Rain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cardinal.
Patio
Patio colors are seen under changing outdoor light throughout the day — morning, midday, and golden hour each reveal different qualities. After the Rain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cardinal.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that After the Rain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cardinal would.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. After the Rain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
After the Rain vs Cardinal Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see After the Rain on one side and Cardinal 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.