Ash Violet vs Special Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Ash Violet reads as grey-purple, while Special Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Ash Violet (LRV 34) reflects noticeably more light than Special Gray (LRV 19), a difference of 15 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Ash Violet runs cool while Special Gray is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 15.2, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ash Violet vs Special Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Ash Violet and Special Gray 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Ash Violet will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Special Gray would.
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. Ash Violet reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Special Gray.
Color Details
Ash Violet vs Special Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ash Violet on one side and Special 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.
More Ash Violet comparisons
See how Ash Violet stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 34, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 34), opening up a space where Ash Violet encloses it.
At LRV 34 vs 6, Ash Violet is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 34), opening up a space where Ash Violet encloses it.
Ash Violet reads slightly lighter (LRV 34 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 34, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 34), opening up a space where Ash Violet encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 34, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (34 vs 27) makes Ash Violet the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 34), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Ash Violet reflects far more light (LRV 34 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 34, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 34 vs 13, Ash Violet is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (44 vs 34) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 34), opening up a space where Ash Violet encloses it.
Ash Violet reflects far more light (LRV 34 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 34, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 34, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 34, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 34 vs 12, Ash Violet is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 34, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 34), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 34), opening up a space where Ash Violet encloses it.
Ash Violet reads slightly lighter (LRV 34 vs 25), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 34 vs 12, Ash Violet is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (45 vs 34) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 34 and 31, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Ash Violet reflects far more light (LRV 34 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Ash Violet reads slightly lighter (LRV 34 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 34), opening up a space where Ash Violet encloses it.