Austere Gray vs Clary Sage
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 51 vs 41, Austere Gray will read as the brighter of the two — a 11-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 8.5, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Austere Gray vs Clary Sage in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Austere Gray and Clary Sage 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. Austere Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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 Austere Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.
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 Austere Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.
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 Austere Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Austere Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.
Color Details
Austere Gray vs Clary Sage Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Austere Gray on one side and Clary Sage 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.