Laurel Woods vs Night Owl
Laurel Woods and Night Owl come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Laurel Woods belongs to the green-grey family and Night Owl to the grey family. The 7-point LRV gap — 13 for Night Owl vs 6 for Laurel Woods — means Night Owl will open up a space more effectively. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 12.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Laurel Woods vs Night Owl in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Laurel Woods and Night Owl in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Night Owl has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Night Owl 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. Night Owl has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Laurel Woods vs Night Owl Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Laurel Woods on one side and Night Owl 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 Laurel Woods comparisons
See how Laurel Woods stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 6, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 6 vs 6), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 6, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 6, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 6, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
With LRVs of 6 and 4, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 55 vs 6, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (13 vs 6) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 6, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
Artichoke reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 6, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 6, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 6, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 6, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
Treron reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 6, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 6), opening up a space where Laurel Woods encloses it.