Drift of Mist vs First Star
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Drift of Mist reads as greige-grey, while First Star reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (69 vs 69), so they'll read as similarly Light in most lighting conditions. Drift of Mist runs warm while First Star is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. At ΔE 1.9, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Drift of Mist vs First Star in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Drift of Mist and First Star 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 Drift of Mist and First Star is what sets these apart most in this context.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Drift of Mist brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Drift of Mist brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Drift of Mist brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Drift of Mist brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Drift of Mist vs First Star Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Drift of Mist on one side and First Star 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 Drift of Mist comparisons
See how Drift of Mist stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 69), so neither reads brighter in a room.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 69), opening up a space where Drift of Mist encloses it.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 52, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 30, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (69 vs 60) makes Drift of Mist the marginally brighter of the two.
Drift of Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 43, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 4, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 69, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 21, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
Drift of Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 69), opening up a space where Drift of Mist encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 51, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
With LRVs of 69 and 68, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 69 vs 41, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 31, Drift of Mist is decisively the brighter choice.