Dorian Gray 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. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (39 vs 38), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. At ΔE 2.4, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dorian Gray vs Rare Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Dorian Gray and Rare Gray 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.
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Color Details
Dorian Gray vs Rare Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dorian Gray 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.