Alpaca vs Popular Gray
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Alpaca reads as greige-grey, while Popular Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 61 vs 57, Popular Gray will read as the brighter of the two — a 5-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a warm quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. With a ΔE of 2.7, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Alpaca vs Popular Gray in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Alpaca and Popular Gray 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
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. Popular Gray has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Popular Gray gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — Popular Gray gives the walls a little more lift.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Popular Gray gives the walls a little more lift.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Popular Gray gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Alpaca vs Popular Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Alpaca on one side and Popular Gray 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.