Dimpse vs First Star
Where Dimpse belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, First Star is a Sherwin-Williams color. Dimpse reads as greige-grey, while First Star reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (68 vs 69), so they'll read as similarly Light in most lighting conditions. Dimpse runs warm while First Star is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. At ΔE 0.6, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dimpse vs First Star in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Dimpse and First Star 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 Dimpse and First Star is what sets these apart most in this context.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Dimpse brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Dimpse brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Dimpse brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Dimpse brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Dimpse vs First Star Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dimpse on one side and First Star 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 Dimpse comparisons
See how Dimpse stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 68, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Dimpse reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 11-point LRV gap (68 vs 58) makes Dimpse the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 27, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 55, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 44, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 68), opening up a space where Dimpse encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 6-point LRV gap (74 vs 68) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 45, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.