Elephant Ear vs Landmark paint color comparison

Elephant Ear vs Landmark

Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. Elephant Ear (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Landmark (LRV 15), a difference of 14 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 15.6, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Elephant Ear vs Landmark in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Elephant Ear and Landmark in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

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 LRV gap is large enough that Elephant Ear will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Landmark would.

Elephant EarSW Elephant Ear living room

@dawndtottyinteriordesigns

LandmarkA elegant living room painted in Landmark

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Elephant Ear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Landmark.

Elephant EarSW Elephant Ear kitchen makeover

@homesweethomeintexas

LandmarkLandmark — contemporary kitchen

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Elephant Ear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Landmark.

Elephant EarSw Elephant Ear Bathroom

@dy.creates

LandmarkLandmark — moody bathroom

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Elephant Ear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Landmark.

Elephant EarSw Elephant Ear House Exterior

@macfarland_painting

LandmarkLandmark color — scandinavian house inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

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 Elephant Ear will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Landmark would.

Elephant EarSW Elephant Ear front door

@paintedlinen

Landmarkrustic modern front door featuring Landmark by Sherwin-Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Elephant Ear
Sherwin-Williams · 9168
LRV28.1
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9168
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Landmark
Sherwin-Williams · 9609
LRV14.6
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9609
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessDark

Elephant Ear vs Landmark Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Ear on one side and Landmark on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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.