Clary Sage vs Shoji White

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Clary Sage belongs to the greige-grey family and Shoji White to the beige-greige family. At LRV 74 vs 41, Shoji White will read as the brighter of the two — a 33-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Clary Sage's neutral character against Shoji White's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 20.0, 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 Shoji White in Real Spaces

8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Clary Sage and Shoji White 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. Shoji White 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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Shoji WhiteShoji White SW 7042 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 Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageBedroom walls painted in Sherwin-Williams Clary Sage

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Shoji WhiteBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Shoji White

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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 Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageSherwin Williams Clary Sage kitchen cabinets

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Shoji WhiteSherwin Williams Shoji White 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 Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageGreen bathroom in Clary Sage by Sherwin Williams

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Shoji WhiteWhite bathroom in Shoji White 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 Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageSW 6178 home office inspiration

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Shoji WhiteSW 7042 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 Shoji White 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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Shoji WhiteShoji White 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. Shoji White 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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Shoji WhiteWhite front door with Shoji White SW 7042

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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 Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Clary Sage would.

Clary SageCozy Farmhouse Kitchen Cabinets in Clary Sage

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Shoji WhiteSw Shoji White Kitchen Cabinets

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Color Details

Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams · 6178
Hex#ACAD97
LRV40.9
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6178
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams · 7042
Hex#E6DFD3
LRV74.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7042
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Clary Sage vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Clary Sage on one side and Shoji White 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

Denim Drift
Clary Sage
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Clary Sage
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

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

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

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

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

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

Black grey
Clary Sage
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Piazza
Clary Sage
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
Clary Sage
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads noticeably lighter

Windmill Lane
Clary Sage
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Clary Sage reads slightly lighter

Senses
Clary Sage
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Nearly identical in tone

Lamp Black
Clary Sage
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Clary Sage
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Clary Sage
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Clary Sage
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Clary Sage reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Clary Sage
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Clary Sage is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Clary Sage
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Clary Sage
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Clary Sage reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Clary Sage
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Clary Sage
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Clary Sage
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Clary Sage
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Clary Sage is the lighter choice