Dorian Gray vs Ethereal Mood

Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Dorian Gray belongs to the grey family and Ethereal Mood to the greige-grey family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (39 vs 38), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. Dorian Gray runs neutral while Ethereal Mood is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 4.7 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Dorian Gray vs Ethereal Mood in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Dorian Gray and Ethereal Mood 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

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 temperature contrast between Ethereal Mood and Dorian Gray is what sets these apart most in this context.

Dorian GrayDorian Gray SW 7017 living room

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Ethereal MoodEthereal Mood SW 7639 living room

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Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Ethereal Mood brings more warmth to the space, while Dorian Gray keeps things cooler and crisper.

Dorian GrayBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray

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Ethereal MoodBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Ethereal Mood

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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. Ethereal Mood brings more warmth to the space, while Dorian Gray keeps things cooler and crisper.

Dorian GraySherwin Williams Dorian Gray bathroom

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Ethereal MoodBeige bathroom in Ethereal Mood by Sherwin Williams

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Home Office

The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Ethereal Mood brings more warmth to the space, while Dorian Gray keeps things cooler and crisper.

Dorian GrayGray home office in Dorian Gray by Sherwin Williams

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Ethereal MoodSW 7639 home office inspiration

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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. Ethereal Mood brings more warmth to the space, while Dorian Gray keeps things cooler and crisper.

Dorian GraySW 7017 house inspiration

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Ethereal MoodEthereal Mood house color review

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Front Door

A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The temperature contrast between Ethereal Mood and Dorian Gray is what sets these apart most in this context.

Dorian GrayDorian Gray front door color review

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Ethereal MoodBeige front door with Ethereal Mood SW 7639

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Color Details

Dorian Gray
Sherwin-Williams · 7017
Hex#ACA79E
LRV38.7
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7017
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Ethereal Mood
Sherwin-Williams · 7639
Hex#AEA594
LRV38.2
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7639
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Dorian Gray vs Ethereal Mood Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dorian Gray on one side and Ethereal Mood on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Dorian Gray comparisons

See how Dorian Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Dorian Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Dorian Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Dorian Gray
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Dorian Gray is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Dorian Gray
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Dorian Gray
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Dorian Gray reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Dorian Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Dorian Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Dorian Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Dorian Gray reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Dorian Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Dorian Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Dorian Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Dorian Gray is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Dorian Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Dorian Gray reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Dorian Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Dorian Gray is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Dorian Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Dorian Gray reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Dorian Gray
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Dorian Gray is the lighter choice

Piazza
Dorian Gray
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Dorian Gray
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads noticeably lighter

Windmill Lane
Dorian Gray
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Dorian Gray reads slightly lighter

Senses
Dorian Gray
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Nearly identical in tone

Lamp Black
Dorian Gray
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Dorian Gray is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Dorian Gray
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Dorian Gray
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Dorian Gray reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Dorian Gray
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Dorian Gray reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Dorian Gray
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Dorian Gray is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Dorian Gray
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Dorian Gray
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Dorian Gray reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Dorian Gray
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Dorian Gray
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Dorian Gray
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Dorian Gray
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Dorian Gray reads noticeably lighter