Pachyderm vs Steeple Gray
Both from PPG's palette. Pachyderm reads as blue-grey, while Steeple Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (31 vs 30), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. At ΔE 1.7, 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 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pachyderm vs Steeple Gray in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Pachyderm and Steeple Gray 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 two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
Pachyderm vs Steeple Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pachyderm on one side and Steeple Gray 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 Pachyderm comparisons
See how Pachyderm stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 31, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 31), opening up a space where Pachyderm encloses it.
With LRVs of 31 and 30, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 31), opening up a space where Pachyderm encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 31, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (31 vs 27) makes Pachyderm the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 31), opening up a space where Pachyderm encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 31, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 31, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 31), opening up a space where Pachyderm encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 31, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 31, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pachyderm is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 31 vs 8, Pachyderm is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 31, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pachyderm is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 31, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 31 and 31, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.