Cathedral Gray vs Proper Gray
Cathedral Gray is a Behr color while Proper Gray comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 40 and 40, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. The tonal difference — Cathedral Gray's red character against Proper Gray's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. With a ΔE of 1.3, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cathedral Gray vs Proper Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Cathedral Gray and Proper Gray are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Dining Room
Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
Cathedral Gray vs Proper Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cathedral Gray on one side and Proper Gray 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 Cathedral Gray comparisons
See how Cathedral Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 40, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 40) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (40 vs 30) makes Cathedral Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 40, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 43 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 40 vs 4, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 40, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 21, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (51 vs 40) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 41 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 9-point LRV gap (40 vs 31) makes Cathedral Gray the marginally brighter of the two.