Big Chill vs Illusion
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Big Chill reads as grey, while Illusion reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Big Chill (LRV 62) reflects noticeably more light than Illusion (LRV 40), a difference of 22 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Big Chill runs neutral while Illusion is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 14.9, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Big Chill vs Illusion in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Big Chill and Illusion 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
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 LRV gap is large enough that Big Chill will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Illusion would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Big Chill reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Illusion.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Big Chill reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Illusion.
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. Big Chill reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Illusion.
Color Details
Big Chill vs Illusion Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Big Chill on one side and Illusion 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 Big Chill comparisons
See how Big Chill stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 62), opening up a space where Big Chill encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (62 vs 52) makes Big Chill the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 62 vs 30, Big Chill is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 62 vs 60), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Big Chill reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Big Chill reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 43, Big Chill is decisively the brighter choice.
Big Chill reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Big Chill reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 62, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 62), opening up a space where Big Chill encloses it.
Big Chill reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Big Chill reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Big Chill reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Big Chill reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 31, Big Chill is decisively the brighter choice.