Opaline vs Special Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Opaline reads as green-grey, while Special Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Opaline (LRV 73) reflects noticeably more light than Special Gray (LRV 19), a difference of 54 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 38.3, 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.
Opaline vs Special Gray in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Opaline and Special Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Opaline will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Special Gray would.
Color Details
Opaline vs Special Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Opaline on one side and Special 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 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.