Opaline vs Spare White
Opaline and Spare White come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Opaline reads as green-grey, while Spare White reads as greige-white — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 4-point LRV gap — 77 for Spare White vs 73 for Opaline — means Spare White 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 2.4 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Opaline vs Spare White in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Opaline and Spare White 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. Spare White reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Spare White has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Opaline vs Spare White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Opaline on one side and Spare 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 Opaline comparisons
See how Opaline stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 10-point LRV gap (83 vs 73) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 58, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 27, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 55, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 44, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 73), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 7-point LRV gap (73 vs 66) makes Opaline the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 74 vs 73), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 73 vs 12, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (73 vs 68) makes Opaline the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 73 vs 12, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 45, Opaline is decisively the brighter choice.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.