Zircon vs Thames Fog
Where Zircon belongs to Sherwin-Williams's range, Thames Fog is a Valspar color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Zircon (LRV 59) reflects noticeably more light than Thames Fog (LRV 27), a difference of 31 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 22.5, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Zircon vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Zircon and Thames Fog 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 Zircon will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thames Fog 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. Zircon reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
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. Zircon reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
Color Details
Zircon vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Zircon on one side and Thames Fog 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 Zircon comparisons
See how Zircon stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
