Inkwell vs Passageway
Inkwell (Sherwin-Williams) and Passageway (Valspar) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 11-point LRV gap — 14 for Passageway vs 4 for Inkwell — means Passageway will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 23.0 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Inkwell vs Passageway in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Inkwell and Passageway 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. Passageway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Inkwell.
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. Passageway returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Inkwell vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Inkwell on one side and Passageway 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.
