Thunder Gray vs Zinc Luster
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Thunder Gray belongs to the grey family and Zinc Luster to the greige-grey family. Zinc Luster (LRV 23) reflects noticeably more light than Thunder Gray (LRV 9), a difference of 14 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Thunder Gray runs neutral while Zinc Luster is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 20.3, 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.
Thunder Gray vs Zinc Luster in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Thunder Gray and Zinc Luster 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 Zinc Luster will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thunder Gray would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Zinc Luster reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thunder Gray.
Color Details
Thunder Gray vs Zinc Luster Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Thunder Gray on one side and Zinc Luster 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 Thunder Gray comparisons
See how Thunder Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
