Match Golden Rule
Sherwin-Williams Golden Rule is a mid-tone shade, warm in character with an LRV of 34. The matches below are ranked by ΔE, a perceptual color-difference score.
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Closest matches across every brand
One match per brand, ranked by ΔE — a perceptual color difference score calculated from Lab color space values. Lower is closer. Click any card to compare side by side in simulated rooms.
With LRVs of 34 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 1.0 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
With LRVs of 34 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.0 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
With LRVs of 35 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.2 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
With LRVs of 34 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.8 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
RAL 290-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 34), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 3.8 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.
Ceremonial Gold reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 34), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 5.2 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.
India Yellow reads slightly lighter (LRV 37 vs 34), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 7.9 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.
With LRVs of 34 and 33, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 8.2 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.
A 11-point LRV gap (45 vs 34) makes Honey Drizzle 2 the marginally brighter of the two. The ΔE 9.4 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.
Emperor reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 34), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 9.6 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.
Golden Rule reflects far more light (LRV 34 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it. At ΔE 11.7 these are two genuinely different directions, not variations on a theme.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 34 vs 33), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 15.2 puts them firmly in different territory — a strong contrast if combined.
At LRV 34 vs 19, Golden Rule is decisively the brighter choice. A ΔE of 16.3 puts them firmly in different territory — a strong contrast if combined.
A 4-point LRV gap (38 vs 34) makes Masala the marginally brighter of the two. A ΔE of 16.8 puts them firmly in different territory — a strong contrast if combined.