Ellie Gray vs Rare Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (40 vs 38), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 3.6 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ellie Gray vs Rare Gray in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Ellie Gray and Rare 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.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Color Details
Ellie Gray vs Rare Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ellie Gray on one side and Rare 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 Ellie Gray comparisons
See how Ellie Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 40, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Ellie Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 40, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (40 vs 30) makes Ellie Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 40, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
Ellie Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (43 vs 40) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 40 vs 4, Ellie Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
Ellie Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 40, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 21, Ellie Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
Ellie Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 40), opening up a space where Ellie Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 41 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 40, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 25, Ellie Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Ellie Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 9-point LRV gap (40 vs 31) makes Ellie Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 40 vs 7, Ellie Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 24, Ellie Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 40, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.