Gray Area vs Lakeside
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Gray Area reads as greige-grey, while Lakeside reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Lakeside (LRV 47) reflects noticeably more light than Gray Area (LRV 39), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Gray Area runs warm while Lakeside is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 16.1, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Gray Area vs Lakeside in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gray Area and Lakeside 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 Lakeside will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Gray Area would.
Color Details
Gray Area vs Lakeside Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gray Area on one side and Lakeside 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 Gray Area comparisons
See how Gray Area stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 39), opening up a space where Gray Area encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 39, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (39 vs 30) makes Gray Area the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 39, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 39), opening up a space where Gray Area encloses it.
Gray Area reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 5-point LRV gap (43 vs 39) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 39), opening up a space where Gray Area encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 39, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 39), opening up a space where Gray Area encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 39), opening up a space where Gray Area encloses it.
Gray Area reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Gray Area reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 39), opening up a space where Gray Area encloses it.
Gray Area reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 7-point LRV gap (39 vs 31) makes Gray Area the marginally brighter of the two.