Serious Gray vs Storm Cloud
Serious Gray and Storm Cloud come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 23 vs 23 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 1.6 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Serious Gray vs Storm Cloud in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Serious Gray and Storm Cloud 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.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Serious Gray vs Storm Cloud Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Serious Gray on one side and Storm Cloud 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 Serious Gray comparisons
See how Serious Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 23, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 23 vs 6, Serious Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 23), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 23, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 23, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (27 vs 23) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
Serious Gray reflects far more light (LRV 23 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 23, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (23 vs 13) makes Serious Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 23, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
With LRVs of 23 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 23, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 23, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 23, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (23 vs 12) makes Serious Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 23 vs 8, Serious Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 23, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 23), opening up a space where Serious Gray encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (23 vs 12) makes Serious Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 23, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 23), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.