Downing Sand vs Rain Cloud
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Downing Sand belongs to the beige-greige family and Rain Cloud to the blue-grey family. Downing Sand (LRV 51) reflects noticeably more light than Rain Cloud (LRV 11), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Downing Sand runs warm while Rain Cloud is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 41.8, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Downing Sand vs Rain Cloud in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Downing Sand and Rain Cloud in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Downing Sand reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Rain Cloud.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Downing Sand will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Rain Cloud would.
Color Details
Downing Sand vs Rain Cloud Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Downing Sand on one side and Rain Cloud 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 Downing Sand comparisons
See how Downing Sand stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 51), opening up a space where Downing Sand encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 51, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Downing Sand reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 52 vs 51), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 51 vs 30, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 52 and 51, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 9-point LRV gap (60 vs 51) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Downing Sand reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (51 vs 43) makes Downing Sand the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 51 vs 4, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Downing Sand reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Downing Sand reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 51, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 21, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 51), opening up a space where Downing Sand encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 51), opening up a space where Downing Sand encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 51), opening up a space where Downing Sand encloses it.
Downing Sand reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 51), opening up a space where Downing Sand encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (51 vs 41) makes Downing Sand the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 51, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 25, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
Downing Sand reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Downing Sand reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 51 vs 31, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 7, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 24, Downing Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (57 vs 51) makes Guilford Green the marginally brighter of the two.