Thistle vs Waterscape
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Thistle belongs to the grey family and Waterscape to the green family. Waterscape (LRV 62) reflects noticeably more light than Thistle (LRV 30), a difference of 31 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 29.7, 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.
Thistle vs Waterscape in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Thistle and Waterscape 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 Waterscape will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thistle would.
Color Details
Thistle vs Waterscape Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Thistle on one side and Waterscape 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 Thistle comparisons
See how Thistle stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 30, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 30 vs 30), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 60 vs 30, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
Thistle reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 30, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 30, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
Thistle reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Thistle reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
Thistle reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 30), opening up a space where Thistle encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 31 vs 30), so neither reads brighter in a room.