Heron Plume vs Popular Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both beige-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-greige to land. Heron Plume (LRV 75) reflects noticeably more light than Popular Gray (LRV 61), a difference of 14 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 7.3 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Heron Plume vs Popular Gray in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Heron Plume and Popular Gray 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
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 Heron Plume will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Popular Gray 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. Heron Plume reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Popular Gray.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Heron Plume reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Popular Gray.
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. Heron Plume 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. Heron Plume reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Popular Gray.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Heron Plume reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Popular Gray.
Color Details
Heron Plume vs Popular Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Heron Plume on one side and Popular Gray 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 Heron Plume comparisons
See how Heron Plume stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 8-point LRV gap (83 vs 75) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
Heron Plume reads slightly lighter (LRV 75 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 75 vs 6, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
At LRV 75 vs 52, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 75 vs 58, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 27, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 75 vs 55, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 13, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 44, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 75), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (75 vs 66) makes Heron Plume the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 75 vs 74), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 7-point LRV gap (83 vs 75) makes Snowbound the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 75 vs 12, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (75 vs 68) makes Heron Plume the marginally brighter of the two.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
Heron Plume reads slightly lighter (LRV 75 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 75 vs 12, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 45, Heron Plume is decisively the brighter choice.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Heron Plume reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.