Portsmouth vs Ruby Violet
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Portsmouth reads as blue-grey, while Ruby Violet reads as grey-purple — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (22 vs 24), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. Portsmouth runs neutral while Ruby Violet is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 19.1, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.
Color Details
Portsmouth vs Ruby Violet Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Portsmouth on one side and Ruby Violet 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 Portsmouth comparisons
See how Portsmouth stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
