Curio Gray vs Dorian Gray
Curio Gray and Dorian Gray come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Curio Gray reads as greige-grey, while Dorian Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 13-point LRV gap — 39 for Dorian Gray vs 26 for Curio Gray — means Dorian Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where Curio Gray leans warm, Dorian Gray reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 12.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Curio Gray vs Dorian Gray in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Curio Gray and Dorian Gray 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
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. Dorian Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Curio Gray.
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. Dorian Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Dorian Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Dorian Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Mudroom
In a hardworking space like a mudroom, the depth and warmth of a color reads differently than in a quieter room. The LRV gap is large enough that Dorian Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Curio Gray would.
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. Dorian Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Dorian Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Curio Gray.
Color Details
Curio Gray vs Dorian Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Curio Gray on one side and Dorian 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.
More Curio Gray comparisons
See how Curio Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 6, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 26, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Curio Gray reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 13, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Curio Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 26, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 8, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.