Mount Etna vs Proper Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Mount Etna reads as blue-grey, while Proper Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Proper Gray (LRV 40) reflects noticeably more light than Mount Etna (LRV 6), a difference of 33 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Mount Etna runs cool while Proper Gray is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 40.1, 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.
Mount Etna vs Proper Gray in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Mount Etna and Proper Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Proper Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Mount Etna vs Proper Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mount Etna on one side and Proper 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.
More Mount Etna comparisons
See how Mount Etna stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
