Calico vs Ice Plant paint color comparison

Calico vs Ice Plant

CalicoSherwin-WilliamsvsIce PlantSherwin-WilliamsΔE 49.6 — Very different colors

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Calico belongs to the blue-green family and Ice Plant to the pink family. At LRV 35 vs 31, Calico will read as the brighter of the two — a 3-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a cool quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 49.6, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Calico vs Ice Plant in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Calico and Ice Plant 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. Calico has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

CalicoSherwin Williams Calico wall paint color-block

@purplemountainpainting

Ice PlantA scandinavian living room painted in Ice Plant

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — Calico gives the walls a little more lift.

CalicoCalico kitchen

@justvicki58

Ice PlantIce Plant — contemporary kitchen

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Calico gives the walls a little more lift.

CalicoSherwin Williams Calico bathroom review

@jenn_drapedinstyledesigner

Ice PlantIce Plant — industrial bathroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Calico has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

CalicoSw 0017 door

@our_colonial_revival

Ice Plantclassy front door featuring Ice Plant by Sherwin-Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Calico
Sherwin-Williams · 0017
LRV34.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number0017
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Ice Plant
Sherwin-Williams · 6847
LRV31.1
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6847
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Calico vs Ice Plant Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Calico on one side and Ice Plant 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.