Inkwell vs Web Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Inkwell belongs to the blue-grey family and Web Gray to the grey family. Web Gray (LRV 13) reflects noticeably more light than Inkwell (LRV 4), a difference of 9 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Inkwell runs cool while Web Gray is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 20.6, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Inkwell vs Web Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Inkwell and Web Gray 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
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 Web Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Inkwell 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. Web Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Inkwell.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Web Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Inkwell.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Web Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Inkwell.
Color Details
Inkwell vs Web Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Inkwell on one side and Web 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.