Downing Slate vs Granite Peak
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. Downing Slate (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Granite Peak (LRV 14), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Downing Slate runs neutral while Granite Peak is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 8.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Downing Slate vs Granite Peak in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Downing Slate and Granite Peak 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Downing Slate gives the walls a little more lift.
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. Downing Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Downing Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Downing Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Downing Slate vs Granite Peak Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Downing Slate on one side and Granite Peak 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.