Alabaster vs Rice Grain
Alabaster and Rice Grain come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Alabaster reads as beige-greige, while Rice Grain reads as beige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 19-point LRV gap — 82 for Alabaster vs 64 for Rice Grain — means Alabaster will open up a space more effectively. Both share a warm character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 11.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Alabaster vs Rice Grain in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Alabaster and Rice Grain 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
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. Alabaster reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Rice Grain.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Alabaster 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. Alabaster returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Alabaster vs Rice Grain Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Alabaster on one side and Rice Grain 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 Alabaster comparisons
See how Alabaster stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
