Homburg Gray vs Thistle
Homburg Gray and Thistle come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 16-point LRV gap — 30 for Thistle vs 15 for Homburg Gray — means Thistle will open up a space more effectively. Where Homburg Gray leans neutral, Thistle reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 23.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Homburg Gray vs Thistle in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Homburg Gray and Thistle 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Thistle reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Homburg Gray.
Color Details
Homburg Gray vs Thistle Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Homburg Gray on one side and Thistle 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 Homburg Gray comparisons
See how Homburg Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 15, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (15 vs 6) makes Homburg Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 15, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 15, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 15, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
Homburg Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 15 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 15, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 15 vs 13), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 44 vs 15, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 15), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 15, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 15, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 15, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 15 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 7-point LRV gap (15 vs 8) makes Homburg Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 15, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 15 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 15, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 15), opening up a space where Homburg Gray encloses it.