Breakwater vs Evergreen Fog

Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Breakwater reads as grey, while Evergreen Fog reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Breakwater (LRV 38) reflects noticeably more light than Evergreen Fog (LRV 30), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 9.0 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Breakwater vs Evergreen Fog in Real Spaces

7 real rooms side by side. Breakwater and Evergreen Fog 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Breakwater gives the walls a little more lift.

BreakwaterA minimalist living room painted in Breakwater

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Evergreen FogEvergreen Fog SW 9130 living room

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Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Breakwater reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

BreakwaterA modern luxury bedroom painted in Breakwater

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Evergreen FogBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog

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Kitchen

In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Breakwater reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

BreakwaterBreakwater — industrial kitchen

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Evergreen FogSherwin Williams Evergreen Fog kitchen cabinets evergreen fog alabaster

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Bathroom

Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Breakwater reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

BreakwaterBreakwater — moody bathroom

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Evergreen FogSW 9130 bathroom evergreen fog 590x1024 inspiration

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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. Breakwater reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

BreakwaterSherwin-Williams Breakwater in a warm home office

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Evergreen FogEvergreen Fog home office color review

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House

Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Breakwater reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

BreakwaterBreakwater color — mediterranean house inspiration

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Evergreen FogCraftsman House with White Trim and Stonework in Evergreen Fog

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Front Door

A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Breakwater gives the walls a little more lift.

Breakwaterscandinavian front door featuring Breakwater by Sherwin-Williams

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Evergreen FogFarmhouse Front Door with White Trim and Evergreen Fog

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Color Details

Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams · 9638
Hex#A2A8A6
LRV38.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9638
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams · 9130
Hex#95978A
LRV30.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9130
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Breakwater vs Evergreen Fog Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Breakwater on one side and Evergreen Fog 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 Breakwater comparisons

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

White Dove
Breakwater
White Dove
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Breakwater
Ammonite
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Breakwater
Iron Ore
Breakwater
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 6, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Breakwater
Purbeck Stone
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Mizzle
Breakwater
Mizzle
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 52 vs 38, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Agreeable Gray
Breakwater
Agreeable Gray
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Accessible Beige
Breakwater
Accessible Beige
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Breakwater
Denim Drift
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes Breakwater the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
Breakwater
French Gray
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Breakwater
Naval
Breakwater
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Breakwater
Tranquil Dawn
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Breakwater
Bancha
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 13, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Hardwick White
Breakwater
Hardwick White
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

A 5-point LRV gap (44 vs 38) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.

Breakwater
Pure White
Breakwater
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Artichoke
Breakwater
Artichoke
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Breakwater
Balboa Mist
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 66 vs 38, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Breakwater
Shoji White
Breakwater
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 74 vs 38, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Breakwater
Snowbound
Breakwater
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 38, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Breakwater
Pewter Green
Breakwater
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 12, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Breakwater
Skimming Stone
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 68 vs 38, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Breakwater
Dix Blue
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

With LRVs of 41 and 38, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Calamine
Breakwater
Calamine
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Treron
Breakwater
Treron
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Vintage Vogue
Breakwater
Vintage Vogue
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 12, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Saybrook Sage
Breakwater
Saybrook Sage
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.

Pale Green
Breakwater
Pale Green
Breakwater
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Pine Needle
Breakwater
Pine Needle
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Breakwater
Cement grey
Breakwater
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Guilford Green
Breakwater
Guilford Green
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Just Walnut
Breakwater
Just Walnut
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.