Special Gray vs Passageway
Where Special Gray belongs to Sherwin-Williams's range, Passageway is a Valspar color. Hue-wise, Special Gray belongs to the grey family and Passageway to the blue-grey family. Special Gray (LRV 19) reflects noticeably more light than Passageway (LRV 14), a difference of 5 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 11.0, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Special Gray vs Passageway in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Special Gray and Passageway 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Special Gray gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Special Gray vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Special Gray on one side and Passageway 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 Special Gray comparisons
See how Special Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
