Elephant Ear vs Tabby Cat Gray
Elephant Ear (Sherwin-Williams) and Tabby Cat Gray (Valspar) come from different manufacturers. Elephant Ear reads as greige-grey, while Tabby Cat Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 28 vs 28 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 2.1 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elephant Ear vs Tabby Cat Gray in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Elephant Ear and Tabby Cat Gray 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.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Elephant Ear vs Tabby Cat Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Ear on one side and Tabby Cat Gray 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 Elephant Ear comparisons
See how Elephant Ear stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 28, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 6, Elephant Ear is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 28, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 28, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 28, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 28 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
Elephant Ear reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 28, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 13, Elephant Ear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 28, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
Elephant Ear reads slightly lighter (LRV 28 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 28, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 28, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 28, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
At LRV 28 vs 12, Elephant Ear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 8, Elephant Ear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 28, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 28), opening up a space where Elephant Ear encloses it.
At LRV 28 vs 12, Elephant Ear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 28, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 28), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.