Crooked River vs Rare Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Rare Gray (LRV 38) reflects noticeably more light than Crooked River (LRV 19), a difference of 19 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 17.9, 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.
Crooked River vs Rare Gray in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Crooked River and Rare Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Rare Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Crooked River.
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. Rare Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Crooked River.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Rare Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Crooked River.
Color Details
Crooked River vs Rare Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Crooked River on one side and Rare Gray 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.