Gray Screen vs North Star paint color comparison

Gray Screen vs North Star

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Gray Screen reads as grey, while North Star reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 62 vs 59, North Star will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Gray Screen's neutral character against North Star's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. With a ΔE of 2.4, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Gray Screen vs North Star in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Gray Screen and North Star 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. North Star has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Gray ScreenSW 7071 wall paint

@re_newalhome

North StarSW North Star living room interior

@ivory.lace.farmhouse

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — North Star gives the walls a little more lift.

Gray ScreenGray Screen Kidsroom

@gild_home

North StarSW North Star bedroom paint

@gonecountrypainting

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — North Star gives the walls a little more lift.

Gray ScreenSherwin Williams SW 7071 bathroom color

@purmortplantation

North StarLuxury bathroom Sherwin Williams North Star review

@total360interiors

Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The brightness difference is modest but present — North Star gives the walls a little more lift.

Gray ScreenSW Gray Screen home office paint review

@mgspainting

North StarLight blue office room North Star SW 6246

@debbie.l.redick

Color Details

Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams · 7071
Hex#C6CACA
LRV58.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7071
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessLight
North Star
Sherwin-Williams · 6246
Hex#CAD0D2
LRV62.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6246
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight

Gray Screen vs North Star Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gray Screen on one side and North Star on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Screen comparisons

See how Gray Screen stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Gray Screen
White Dove
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 83 vs 59, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Gray Screen
Ammonite
Gray Screen
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Ammonite reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Gray Screen
Iron Ore
Gray Screen
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 6, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Gray Screen
Purbeck Stone
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reads slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Evergreen Fog
Gray Screen
Evergreen Fog
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.

Mizzle
Gray Screen
Mizzle
Gray Screen
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

A 7-point LRV gap (59 vs 52) makes Gray Screen the marginally brighter of the two.

Agreeable Gray
Gray Screen
Agreeable Gray
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

With LRVs of 60 and 59, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Accessible Beige
Gray Screen
Accessible Beige
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 59 vs 58), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Denim Drift
Gray Screen
Denim Drift
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 27, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

French Gray
Gray Screen
French Gray
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.

Gray Screen
Naval
Gray Screen
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Gray Screen
Tranquil Dawn
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

A 4-point LRV gap (59 vs 55) makes Gray Screen the marginally brighter of the two.

Bancha
Gray Screen
Bancha
Gray Screen
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 13, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

Hardwick White
Gray Screen
Hardwick White
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 44, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Screen
Pure White
Gray Screen
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 59), opening up a space where Gray Screen encloses it.

Artichoke
Gray Screen
Artichoke
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Gray Screen
Balboa Mist
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

A 7-point LRV gap (66 vs 59) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.

Gray Screen
Shoji White
Gray Screen
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 74 vs 59, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Screen
Snowbound
Gray Screen
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 59, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Screen
Pewter Green
Gray Screen
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 12, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Gray Screen
Skimming Stone
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

A 10-point LRV gap (68 vs 59) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.

Dix Blue
Gray Screen
Dix Blue
Gray Screen
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.

Calamine
Gray Screen
Calamine
Gray Screen
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Treron
Gray Screen
Treron
Gray Screen
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Vintage Vogue
Gray Screen
Vintage Vogue
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 12, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

Saybrook Sage
Gray Screen
Saybrook Sage
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

At LRV 59 vs 45, Gray Screen is decisively the brighter choice.

Pale Green
Gray Screen
Pale Green
Gray Screen
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.

Pine Needle
Gray Screen
Pine Needle
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Gray Screen
Cement grey
Gray Screen
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

Gray Screen reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Guilford Green
Gray Screen
Guilford Green
Gray Screen
Sherwin-Williams
Gray Screen
7071 · LRV 59

With LRVs of 59 and 57, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.