Retreat vs Underseas
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Retreat belongs to the grey family and Underseas to the green-grey family. Underseas (LRV 25) reflects noticeably more light than Retreat (LRV 21), a difference of 5 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. The ΔE 6.7 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Retreat vs Underseas in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Retreat and Underseas 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
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 brightness difference is modest but present — Underseas gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Underseas reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Underseas reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Underseas reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Underseas gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Underseas reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Retreat vs Underseas Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Retreat on one side and Underseas 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 Retreat comparisons
See how Retreat stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 21, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (30 vs 21) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 21, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
Denim Drift reads slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 21, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 21, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
Retreat reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
Retreat reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 21), opening up a space where Retreat encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (31 vs 21) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 21 vs 7, Retreat is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (24 vs 21) makes Cement grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 21, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.