Green Onyx vs Softened Green
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both green-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within green-greige to land. Softened Green (LRV 49) reflects noticeably more light than Green Onyx (LRV 31), a difference of 18 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 13.0, 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.
Green Onyx vs Softened Green in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Green Onyx and Softened Green in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Softened Green reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Green Onyx.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Softened Green reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Green Onyx.
Color Details
Green Onyx vs Softened Green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Green Onyx on one side and Softened Green 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 Green Onyx comparisons
See how Green Onyx stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 31, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 31), opening up a space where Green Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 6, Green Onyx is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 31), opening up a space where Green Onyx encloses it.
With LRVs of 31 and 30, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 31, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 31), opening up a space where Green Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 31, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (31 vs 27) makes Green Onyx the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Green Onyx reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 31, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 31 vs 13, Green Onyx is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 31, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 31), opening up a space where Green Onyx encloses it.
Green Onyx reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 31, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 31, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 31, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Green Onyx is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 31, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 31), opening up a space where Green Onyx encloses it.
Green Onyx reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 25), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Green Onyx is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 31, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 31 and 31, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Green Onyx reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Green Onyx reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 31), opening up a space where Green Onyx encloses it.