Ruby Starlet vs Elderberry
Where Ruby Starlet belongs to Dulux's range, Elderberry is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both pink-reds, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink-red to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (8 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Ruby Starlet runs warm while Elderberry is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 9.8 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ruby Starlet vs Elderberry in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Ruby Starlet and Elderberry 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.
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 temperature contrast between Ruby Starlet and Elderberry is what sets these apart most in this context.
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. Ruby Starlet brings more warmth to the space, while Elderberry keeps things cooler and crisper.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The temperature contrast between Ruby Starlet and Elderberry is what sets these apart most in this context.
Color Details
Ruby Starlet vs Elderberry Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ruby Starlet on one side and Elderberry 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 Ruby Starlet comparisons
See how Ruby Starlet stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 8, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 6), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 8, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 8, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 8, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
Ruby Starlet reads slightly lighter (LRV 8 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 8, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (13 vs 8) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 8, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
Artichoke reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 8, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 8, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 8, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (12 vs 8) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 8, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (12 vs 8) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 8, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 8), opening up a space where Ruby Starlet encloses it.