Elephant Ear vs Sealskin
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 Sealskin (LRV 6), a difference of 23 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 31.6, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elephant Ear vs Sealskin in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Elephant Ear and Sealskin in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 Sealskin.
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 Sealskin.
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 Sealskin would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Elephant Ear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Sealskin.
Color Details
Elephant Ear vs Sealskin Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Ear on one side and Sealskin 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.