Antique Red vs Rookwood Red
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both pink-reds, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink-red to land. Antique Red (LRV 12) reflects noticeably more light than Rookwood Red (LRV 5), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 22.5, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Antique Red vs Rookwood Red in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Antique Red and Rookwood Red in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Antique Red reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Antique Red reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Antique Red gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Antique Red vs Rookwood Red Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Antique Red on one side and Rookwood Red 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 Antique Red comparisons
See how Antique Red stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 12, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Antique Red reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 12, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 12, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 12, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (12 vs 4) makes Antique Red the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 12, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 12, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 12, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Antique Red encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Antique Red the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 12, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 12, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.