Gentian vs Kingdom Gold
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Gentian belongs to the blue family and Kingdom Gold to the beige family. Kingdom Gold (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Gentian (LRV 18), a difference of 23 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Gentian runs cool while Kingdom Gold is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 91.5, 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 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Gentian vs Kingdom Gold in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gentian and Kingdom Gold 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 Kingdom Gold will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Gentian would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Kingdom Gold reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Gentian.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Kingdom Gold reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Gentian.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Kingdom Gold returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Kingdom Gold reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Gentian.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Kingdom Gold reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Gentian.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Kingdom Gold returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Kingdom Gold returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Kingdom Gold reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Gentian.
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 Kingdom Gold will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Gentian would.
Color Details
Gentian vs Kingdom Gold Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gentian on one side and Kingdom Gold 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 Gentian comparisons
See how Gentian stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 18, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 18), opening up a space where Gentian encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 18), opening up a space where Gentian encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 18), opening up a space where Gentian encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 18, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (27 vs 18) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 18), opening up a space where Gentian encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 18, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 18, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 18), opening up a space where Gentian encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 18, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 18, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Gentian the marginally brighter of the two.
A 9-point LRV gap (18 vs 8) makes Gentian the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 18, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Gentian the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 18, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 18), opening up a space where Gentian encloses it.