Auger Shell vs Browse Brown paint color comparison

Auger Shell vs Browse Brown

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. At LRV 30 vs 13, Auger Shell will read as the brighter of the two — a 17-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 19.4, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Auger Shell vs Browse Brown in Real Spaces

10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Auger Shell and Browse Brown 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

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. Auger Shell returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Auger ShellA organic modern living room painted in Auger Shell

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Browse BrownA minimalist living room painted in Browse Brown

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Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Auger Shell will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Browse Brown would.

Auger ShellA scandinavian bedroom painted in Auger Shell

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Browse BrownA art deco bedroom painted in Browse Brown

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Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Auger Shell will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Browse Brown would.

Auger ShellAuger Shell — classy kitchen

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Browse BrownBrowse Brown — contemporary kitchen

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Dining Room

Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Auger Shell reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Browse Brown.

Auger ShellAuger Shell paint in a minimalist dining room

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Browse BrownBrowse Brown paint in a mid century dining room

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Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Auger Shell will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Browse Brown would.

Auger ShellAuger Shell — wabi-sabi bathroom

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Browse BrownBrowse Brown — earthy bathroom

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Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Auger Shell will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Browse Brown would.

Auger ShellSherwin-Williams Auger Shell in a contemporary home office

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Browse BrownSherwin-Williams Browse Brown in a neutral home office

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Mudroom

A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. Auger Shell reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Browse Brown.

Auger ShellAuger Shell paint in a small mudroom

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Browse BrownBrowse Brown paint in a small mudroom

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Patio

Patio colors are seen under changing outdoor light throughout the day — morning, midday, and golden hour each reveal different qualities. Auger Shell reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Browse Brown.

Auger Shellminimalist patio featuring Auger Shell by Sherwin-Williams

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Browse Brownmediterranean patio featuring Browse Brown by Sherwin-Williams

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House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Auger Shell will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Browse Brown would.

Auger ShellAuger Shell color — aesthetic house inspiration

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Browse BrownBrowse Brown color — transitional house inspiration

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Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Auger Shell returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Auger Shellscandinavian front door featuring Auger Shell by Sherwin-Williams

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Browse Brownbold front door featuring Browse Brown by Sherwin-Williams

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Color Details

Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams · 9159
Hex#9F9291
LRV30.1
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9159
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Browse Brown
Sherwin-Williams · 6012
Hex#6E615F
LRV12.7
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6012
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Auger Shell vs Browse Brown Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Auger Shell on one side and Browse Brown on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Auger Shell comparisons

See how Auger Shell stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Auger Shell
White Dove
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Ammonite
Auger Shell
Ammonite
Auger Shell
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 69 vs 30, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Auger Shell
Iron Ore
Auger Shell
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Auger Shell reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.

Purbeck Stone
Auger Shell
Purbeck Stone
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 52 vs 30, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Auger Shell
Evergreen Fog
Auger Shell
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 30 vs 30), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Mizzle
Auger Shell
Mizzle
Auger Shell
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Agreeable Gray
Auger Shell
Agreeable Gray
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 60 vs 30, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Accessible Beige
Auger Shell
Accessible Beige
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Denim Drift
Auger Shell
Denim Drift
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Auger Shell reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

French Gray
Auger Shell
French Gray
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 43 vs 30, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Auger Shell
Naval
Auger Shell
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

At LRV 30 vs 4, Auger Shell is decisively the brighter choice.

Tranquil Dawn
Auger Shell
Tranquil Dawn
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Bancha
Auger Shell
Bancha
Auger Shell
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Auger Shell reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.

Hardwick White
Auger Shell
Hardwick White
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Auger Shell
Pure White
Auger Shell
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 84 vs 30, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Artichoke
Auger Shell
Artichoke
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

A 9-point LRV gap (30 vs 21) makes Auger Shell the marginally brighter of the two.

Balboa Mist
Auger Shell
Balboa Mist
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Auger Shell
Shoji White
Auger Shell
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Auger Shell
Snowbound
Auger Shell
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Auger Shell
Pewter Green
Auger Shell
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Auger Shell reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.

Skimming Stone
Auger Shell
Skimming Stone
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Dix Blue
Auger Shell
Dix Blue
Auger Shell
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

A 11-point LRV gap (41 vs 30) makes Dix Blue the marginally brighter of the two.

Calamine
Auger Shell
Calamine
Auger Shell
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 68 vs 30, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.

Treron
Auger Shell
Treron
Auger Shell
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

A 5-point LRV gap (30 vs 25) makes Auger Shell the marginally brighter of the two.

Vintage Vogue
Auger Shell
Vintage Vogue
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Auger Shell reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.

Saybrook Sage
Auger Shell
Saybrook Sage
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 30), opening up a space where Auger Shell encloses it.

Pale Green
Auger Shell
Pale Green
Auger Shell
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 31 vs 30), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Pine Needle
Auger Shell
Pine Needle
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 30 vs 7, Auger Shell is decisively the brighter choice.

Cement grey
Auger Shell
Cement grey
Auger Shell
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

A 6-point LRV gap (30 vs 24) makes Auger Shell the marginally brighter of the two.

Guilford Green
Auger Shell
Guilford Green
Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams
Auger Shell
9159 · LRV 30

At LRV 57 vs 30, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.