Cadet vs North Star
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. North Star (LRV 62) reflects noticeably more light than Cadet (LRV 31), a difference of 31 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Cadet runs neutral while North Star is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 20.4, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cadet vs North Star in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Cadet and North Star 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
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 LRV gap is large enough that North Star will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cadet would.
Color Details
Cadet vs North Star Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cadet on one side and North Star 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 Cadet comparisons
See how Cadet stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
