Clary Sage vs Cool Pine paint color comparison

Clary Sage vs Cool Pine

Clary SageSherwin-WilliamsvsCool PineValsparΔE 1.1Subtle difference

Clary Sage is a Sherwin-Williams color while Cool Pine comes from Valspar. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. With LRVs of 41 and 40, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 1.1, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Clary Sage vs Cool Pine in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Clary Sage and Cool Pine 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

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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.

Clary SageClary Sage SW 6178 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Cool PineValspar 8003-30D living room paint review

@dontbeapigeon2021

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

Clary SageBedroom walls painted in Sherwin-Williams Clary Sage

@mybudgetrecipes

Cool PineValspar Cool Pine bedroom paint review

@hollybinterior

Color Details

Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams · 6178
Hex#ACAD97
LRV40.9
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6178
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Cool Pine
Valspar · 8003-30D
Hex#a9ab94
LRV40.0
BrandValspar
Number8003-30D
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium

Clary Sage vs Cool Pine Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Clary Sage on one side and Cool Pine 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
White Dove vs Clary Sage
White Dove
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 83 vs 41, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Ammonite vs Clary Sage
Ammonite
Clary Sage
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 41), opening up a space where Clary Sage encloses it.

Iron Ore
Clary Sage vs Iron Ore
Clary Sage
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 6, Clary Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Purbeck Stone vs Clary Sage
Purbeck Stone
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Evergreen Fog
Clary Sage vs Evergreen Fog
Clary Sage
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Clary Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Mizzle
Mizzle vs Clary Sage
Mizzle
Clary Sage
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 41) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.

Agreeable Gray
Agreeable Gray vs Clary Sage
Agreeable Gray
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 41), opening up a space where Clary Sage encloses it.

Accessible Beige
Accessible Beige vs Clary Sage
Accessible Beige
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 58 vs 41, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Denim Drift vs Clary Sage
Denim Drift
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 27, Clary Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

French Gray
French Gray vs Clary Sage
French Gray
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

With LRVs of 43 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Naval
Clary Sage vs Naval
Clary Sage
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Clary Sage reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Tranquil Dawn vs Clary Sage
Tranquil Dawn
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 55 vs 41, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Bancha vs Clary Sage
Bancha
Clary Sage
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 13, Clary Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Hardwick White
Hardwick White vs Clary Sage
Hardwick White
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Pure White
Clary Sage vs Pure White
Clary Sage
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 41), opening up a space where Clary Sage encloses it.

Artichoke
Artichoke vs Clary Sage
Artichoke
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Clary Sage reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Balboa Mist vs Clary Sage
Balboa Mist
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 66 vs 41, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Shoji White
Clary Sage vs Shoji White
Clary Sage
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 74 vs 41, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Snowbound
Clary Sage vs Snowbound
Clary Sage
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 41, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Pewter Green
Clary Sage vs Pewter Green
Clary Sage
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 12, Clary Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Skimming Stone vs Clary Sage
Skimming Stone
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 68 vs 41, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Dix Blue vs Clary Sage
Dix Blue
Clary Sage
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

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

Calamine
Calamine vs Clary Sage
Calamine
Clary Sage
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 41), opening up a space where Clary Sage encloses it.

Treron
Treron vs Clary Sage
Treron
Clary Sage
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Clary Sage reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Vintage Vogue
Vintage Vogue vs Clary Sage
Vintage Vogue
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 12, Clary Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Saybrook Sage
Saybrook Sage vs Clary Sage
Saybrook Sage
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

A 5-point LRV gap (45 vs 41) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.

Pale Green
Pale Green vs Clary Sage
Pale Green
Clary Sage
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Clary Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Pine Needle
Pine Needle vs Clary Sage
Pine Needle
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Clary Sage reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Cement grey vs Clary Sage
Cement grey
Clary Sage
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Clary Sage reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Guilford Green
Guilford Green vs Clary Sage
Guilford Green
Clary Sage
Sherwin-Williams
Clary Sage
6178 · LRV 41

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 41), opening up a space where Clary Sage encloses it.