Clary Sage vs Drift of Mist

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 69 vs 41, Drift of Mist will read as the brighter of the two — a 28-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Clary Sage's neutral character against Drift of Mist's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 18.2, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Clary Sage vs Drift of Mist in Real Spaces

8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Clary Sage and Drift of Mist 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. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Clary SageClary Sage SW 6178 living room

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Drift of MistDrift of Mist SW 9166 living room

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Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageBedroom walls painted in Sherwin-Williams Clary Sage

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Drift of MistBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Drift of Mist

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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 Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageSherwin Williams Clary Sage kitchen cabinets

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Drift of MistSherwin Williams Drift of Mist kitchen cabinets

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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 Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageGreen bathroom in Clary Sage by Sherwin Williams

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Drift of MistBeige bathroom in Drift of Mist by Sherwin Williams

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Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageSW 6178 home office inspiration

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Drift of MistSW 9166 home office inspiration

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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 Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageCraftsman House with White Trim and Stonework in Clary Sage

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Drift of MistDrift of Mist house color review

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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. Drift of Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Clary SageClary Sage front door color review

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Drift of MistBeige front door with Drift of Mist SW 9166

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Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageCozy Farmhouse Kitchen Cabinets in Clary Sage

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Drift of MistDrift of Mist kitchen cabinets color

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Color Details

Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams · 6178
Hex#ACAD97
LRV40.9
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6178
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Drift of Mist
Sherwin-Williams · 9166
Hex#DCD8D0
LRV69.1
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9166
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Clary Sage vs Drift of Mist Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Clary Sage on one side and Drift of Mist 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 Clary Sage comparisons

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

White Dove
Clary Sage
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Clary Sage
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Clary Sage
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Clary Sage
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Clary Sage
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Clary Sage reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Clary Sage
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Clary Sage
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Accessible Beige
Clary Sage
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Clary Sage
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Clary Sage
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

Nearly identical in tone

Naval
Clary Sage
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Clary Sage
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Bancha
Clary Sage
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Hardwick White
Clary Sage
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Nearly identical in tone

Pure White
Clary Sage
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Clary Sage
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Clary Sage
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Shoji White
Clary Sage
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Clary Sage
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Clary Sage
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Skimming Stone
Clary Sage
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Clary Sage
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Nearly identical in tone

Calamine
Clary Sage
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Clary Sage
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Clary Sage
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Saybrook Sage
Clary Sage
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter

Pale Green
Clary Sage
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Clary Sage reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Clary Sage
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Clary Sage
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Clary Sage
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green reads noticeably lighter