Cornwall Slate vs Arctic Willow
Cornwall Slate (Sherwin-Williams) and Arctic Willow (Tikkurila) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 3-point LRV gap — 33 for Arctic Willow vs 29 for Cornwall Slate — means Arctic Willow will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 3.0 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cornwall Slate vs Arctic Willow in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Cornwall Slate and Arctic Willow 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. Arctic Willow reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Arctic Willow has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Arctic Willow has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Cornwall Slate vs Arctic Willow Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cornwall Slate on one side and Arctic Willow 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 Cornwall Slate comparisons
See how Cornwall Slate stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 29, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.
At LRV 29 vs 6, Cornwall Slate is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 29, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 29, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 29, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 29 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.
Cornwall Slate reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 29, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 13, Cornwall Slate is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 29, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.
Cornwall Slate reads slightly lighter (LRV 29 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 29, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 29, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 29, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 12, Cornwall Slate is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 29, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 29), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.
Cornwall Slate reads slightly lighter (LRV 29 vs 25), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 29 vs 12, Cornwall Slate is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 29, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 31 and 29, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cornwall Slate reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Cornwall Slate reads slightly lighter (LRV 29 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 29), opening up a space where Cornwall Slate encloses it.