Clary Sage vs Passageway
Where Clary Sage belongs to Sherwin-Williams's range, Passageway is a Valspar color. Clary Sage reads as greige-grey, while Passageway reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Clary Sage (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Passageway (LRV 14), a difference of 27 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 32.3, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Clary Sage vs Passageway in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Clary Sage and Passageway 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 Clary Sage will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Passageway would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Passageway.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Clary Sage reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Passageway.
Color Details
Clary Sage vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Clary Sage on one side and Passageway 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 Clary Sage comparisons
See how Clary Sage stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
