Passive vs Thames Fog
Where Passive belongs to Sherwin-Williams's range, Thames Fog is a Valspar color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Passive (LRV 60) reflects noticeably more light than Thames Fog (LRV 27), a difference of 32 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 23.4, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Passive vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Passive and Thames Fog 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 Passive will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thames Fog would.
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. Passive returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Passive vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Passive on one side and Thames Fog 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 Passive comparisons
See how Passive stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
