First Star vs Nebulous White
First Star and Nebulous White come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. First Star reads as grey, while Nebulous White reads as grey-white — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 4-point LRV gap — 74 for Nebulous White vs 69 for First Star — means Nebulous White will open up a space more effectively. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 2.4 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
First Star vs Nebulous White in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. First Star and Nebulous White 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. Nebulous White reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Nebulous White has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Nebulous White 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. Nebulous White has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
First Star vs Nebulous White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see First Star on one side and Nebulous White 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 First Star comparisons
See how First Star stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 69), opening up a space where First Star encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 69), so neither reads brighter in a room.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 52, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 30, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (69 vs 60) makes First Star the marginally brighter of the two.
First Star reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 43, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 4, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 69, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 21, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
First Star reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 69), opening up a space where First Star encloses it.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
With LRVs of 69 and 68, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 69 vs 41, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 69 vs 25, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
First Star reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 31, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 7, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 24, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 57, First Star is decisively the brighter choice.