Lava Gray vs Passageway
Lava Gray (PPG) and Passageway (Valspar) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 13 vs 14 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 4.8 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Lava Gray vs Passageway in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Lava Gray and Passageway 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
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Lava Gray vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Lava Gray on one side and Passageway 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 Lava Gray comparisons
See how Lava Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 13, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 13, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 13, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 13, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 13, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Lava Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 13), opening up a space where Lava Gray encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 13, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.