Ionian vs Kestrel White
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Ionian belongs to the blue family and Kestrel White to the beige-greige family. Kestrel White (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Ionian (LRV 20), a difference of 48 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Ionian runs cool while Kestrel White is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 46.5, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ionian vs Kestrel White in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Ionian and Kestrel White in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Kestrel White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Ionian.
Color Details
Ionian vs Kestrel White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ionian on one side and Kestrel White 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 Ionian comparisons
See how Ionian stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
