Allegory vs Cotton
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Allegory reads as grey, while Cotton reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Cotton (LRV 83) reflects noticeably more light than Allegory (LRV 45), a difference of 39 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Allegory runs neutral while Cotton is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 20.5, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Allegory vs Cotton in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Allegory and Cotton in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Color Details
Allegory vs Cotton Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Allegory on one side and Cotton 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.