Match Intellectual Gray
Sherwin-Williams Intellectual Gray is a mid-tone shade, warm in character with an LRV of 36. The matches below are the closest equivalents available across every brand on Pontata, ranked by ΔE — a perceptual color difference score. A ΔE under 3 is subtle; under 10 is noticeable but harmonious; above 25 means genuinely different colors.
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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.



Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 36 vs 36), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 0.7 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.


With LRVs of 36 and 35, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 0.8 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.



Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 36 vs 36), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 1.2 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.



Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 36 vs 34), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 1.9 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.



Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 36 vs 34), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 2.2 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.



With LRVs of 36 and 36, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.5 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.



With LRVs of 36 and 33, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.6 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.


Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 36 vs 35), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 2.7 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.



Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 36), opening up a space where Intellectual Gray encloses it. At ΔE 2.8 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.



Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 38 vs 36), so neither reads brighter in a room. The ΔE 3.5 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.


Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 38 vs 36), so neither reads brighter in a room. The ΔE 3.6 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.



S 3005-Y20R reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 36), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 4.7 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.



With LRVs of 38 and 36, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 5.3 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.



A 9-point LRV gap (45 vs 36) makes Pebble grey the marginally brighter of the two. The ΔE 5.9 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.

