Gray Heron vs Artichoke
Gray Heron (PPG) and Artichoke (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 7-point LRV gap — 28 for Gray Heron vs 21 for Artichoke — means Gray Heron will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 13.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Gray Heron vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gray Heron and Artichoke in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Gray Heron reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Gray Heron has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Gray Heron has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Gray Heron has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Gray Heron has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Gray Heron reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Gray Heron vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gray Heron on one side and Artichoke 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 Gray Heron comparisons
See how Gray Heron stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 28, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
Gray Heron reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 28, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 30 vs 28), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 28, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
With LRVs of 28 and 27, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 28, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 4, Gray Heron is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
Gray Heron reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 28, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 28, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Gray Heron reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Gray Heron reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 28, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Gray Heron reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 28), opening up a space where Gray Heron encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (31 vs 28) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 28 vs 7, Gray Heron is decisively the brighter choice.