Big Dipper vs Mount Etna
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (6 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Big Dipper runs neutral while Mount Etna is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. At ΔE 1.8, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Big Dipper vs Mount Etna in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Big Dipper and Mount Etna 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
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 temperature contrast between Mount Etna and Big Dipper is what sets these apart most in this context.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Big Dipper reads more restrained here, while Mount Etna adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Mount Etna brings more warmth to the space, while Big Dipper keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Big Dipper vs Mount Etna Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Big Dipper on one side and Mount Etna 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.