Cloak Gray vs Expressive Plum
Cloak Gray and Expressive Plum come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 11 vs 12 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. ΔE 4.7 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cloak Gray vs Expressive Plum in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Cloak Gray and Expressive Plum 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Cloak Gray vs Expressive Plum Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cloak Gray on one side and Expressive Plum 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 Cloak Gray comparisons
See how Cloak Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 11, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (11 vs 6) makes Cloak Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 11, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 11, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 11, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Cloak Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 11, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 13 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 44 vs 11, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 11), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 11, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 11, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 11, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 11, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Treron reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 11, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Cloak Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 11), opening up a space where Cloak Gray encloses it.