Muddled Basil vs Thunder Gray
Muddled Basil and Thunder Gray come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Muddled Basil reads as greige-grey, while Thunder Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 9 vs 9 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Muddled Basil leans warm, Thunder Gray reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 5.3 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Muddled Basil vs Thunder Gray in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Muddled Basil and Thunder Gray are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. Muddled Basil brings more warmth to the space, while Thunder Gray keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Thunder Gray reads more restrained here, while Muddled Basil adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Thunder Gray reads more restrained here, while Muddled Basil adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Thunder Gray reads more restrained here, while Muddled Basil adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Thunder Gray reads more restrained here, while Muddled Basil adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Muddled Basil vs Thunder Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Muddled Basil on one side and Thunder 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 Muddled Basil comparisons
See how Muddled Basil stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 9, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
Muddled Basil reads slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 9, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 9, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 9, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 9, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (9 vs 4) makes Muddled Basil the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 9, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 9, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 9, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 9 and 8, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 9, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 9), opening up a space where Muddled Basil encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 9, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.