Gooseberry vs Merlot
Gooseberry (PPG) and Merlot (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both pinks, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink to land. The 5-point LRV gap — 9 for Gooseberry vs 4 for Merlot — means Gooseberry will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 6.4 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Gooseberry vs Merlot in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Gooseberry and Merlot 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.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Gooseberry reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Gooseberry vs Merlot Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gooseberry on one side and Merlot 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 Gooseberry comparisons
See how Gooseberry stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 9, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (9 vs 6) makes Gooseberry the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 9, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 9, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 9, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
Gooseberry reads slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 9, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (13 vs 9) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 9, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
Artichoke reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 9, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 9, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 9, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 9 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 9, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 9, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 9), opening up a space where Gooseberry encloses it.