Inkwell vs Outerspace
Inkwell and Outerspace come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 8-point LRV gap — 12 for Outerspace vs 4 for Inkwell — means Outerspace will open up a space more effectively. Both share a cool character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 18.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Inkwell vs Outerspace in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Inkwell and Outerspace 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. Outerspace reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Outerspace has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Outerspace has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Outerspace has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Inkwell vs Outerspace Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Inkwell on one side and Outerspace 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 Inkwell comparisons
See how Inkwell stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 4, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 4, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 4, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 4, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 4, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 4, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 4, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (12 vs 4) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 4, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (12 vs 4) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 4, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
Pine Needle reads slightly lighter (LRV 7 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 4), opening up a space where Inkwell encloses it.