Mineral vs Rarified Air
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Mineral reads as grey, while Rarified Air reads as blue-white — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Rarified Air (LRV 78) reflects noticeably more light than Mineral (LRV 46), a difference of 32 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Mineral runs neutral while Rarified Air is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 17.1, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.
Color Details
Mineral vs Rarified Air Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mineral on one side and Rarified Air 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 Mineral comparisons
See how Mineral stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
