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.
More Austere Gray comparisons
See how Austere Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 51), opening up a space where Austere Gray encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 51, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Austere Gray reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 52 vs 51), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 51 vs 30, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 52 and 51, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 9-point LRV gap (60 vs 51) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Austere Gray reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (51 vs 43) makes Austere Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 51 vs 4, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Austere Gray reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Austere Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 51, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 21, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 51), opening up a space where Austere Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 51), opening up a space where Austere Gray encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 51), opening up a space where Austere Gray encloses it.
Austere Gray reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 51), opening up a space where Austere Gray encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (51 vs 41) makes Austere Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 51, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 25, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Austere Gray reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Austere Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 51 vs 31, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 7, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 24, Austere Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (57 vs 51) makes Guilford Green the marginally brighter of the two.