Dried Thyme vs Inspired Lilac
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Dried Thyme belongs to the grey family and Inspired Lilac to the purple-red family. At LRV 71 vs 21, Inspired Lilac will read as the brighter of the two — a 50-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Dried Thyme's neutral character against Inspired Lilac's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 38.0, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dried Thyme vs Inspired Lilac in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dried Thyme and Inspired Lilac in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Inspired Lilac will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Dried Thyme would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Inspired Lilac will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Dried Thyme would.
Color Details
Dried Thyme vs Inspired Lilac Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dried Thyme on one side and Inspired Lilac 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 Dried Thyme comparisons
See how Dried Thyme stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 21, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
At LRV 21 vs 6, Dried Thyme is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 21, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 21, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (27 vs 21) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
Dried Thyme reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 21, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (21 vs 13) makes Dried Thyme the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 21, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
With LRVs of 21 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 21, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 21, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 21, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Dried Thyme the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 21, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Dried Thyme the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 21, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Dried Thyme reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 21), opening up a space where Dried Thyme encloses it.