Austere Gray vs Elation
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Austere Gray reads as greige-grey, while Elation reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 72 vs 51, Elation will read as the brighter of the two — a 21-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Austere Gray's neutral character against Elation's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 16.3, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Austere Gray vs Elation in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Austere Gray and Elation 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. Elation 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 Elation will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Austere Gray 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 Elation will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Austere Gray would.
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. Elation reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Austere Gray.
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 Elation will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Austere Gray would.
Color Details
Austere Gray vs Elation Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Austere Gray on one side and Elation 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.