Requisite Gray vs Simple White
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Requisite Gray reads as greige-grey, while Simple White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Simple White (LRV 70) reflects noticeably more light than Requisite Gray (LRV 45), a difference of 25 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 14.1, 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.
Requisite Gray vs Simple White in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Requisite Gray and Simple White 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 Simple White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Requisite Gray would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Simple White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Requisite Gray.
Color Details
Requisite Gray vs Simple White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Requisite Gray on one side and Simple 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 Requisite Gray comparisons
See how Requisite Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Requisite Gray encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 45, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Requisite Gray reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (52 vs 45) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 30, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 45, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 45), opening up a space where Requisite Gray encloses it.
Requisite Gray reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 4, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Requisite Gray reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
With LRVs of 45 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 45, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 21, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 45), opening up a space where Requisite Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 45), opening up a space where Requisite Gray encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Requisite Gray encloses it.
Requisite Gray reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 45), opening up a space where Requisite Gray encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (45 vs 41) makes Requisite Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 45, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 25, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Requisite Gray reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 45 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 45 vs 31, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 7, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 24, Requisite Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 45, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.