Earl Grey vs Thames Fog
Earl Grey (Sherwin-Williams) and Thames Fog (Valspar) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 4-point LRV gap — 32 for Earl Grey vs 27 for Thames Fog — means Earl Grey will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 6.9 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Earl Grey vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Earl Grey and Thames Fog 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Earl Grey reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Earl Grey has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Earl Grey has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Earl Grey vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Earl Grey on one side and Thames Fog 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 Earl Grey comparisons
See how Earl Grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
