Going Grey vs Hardware
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Going Grey reads as grey, while Hardware reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (22 vs 23), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. Going Grey runs neutral while Hardware is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 6.8 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Going Grey vs Hardware in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Going Grey and Hardware 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 temperature contrast between Hardware and Going Grey is what sets these apart most in this context.
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. Going Grey reads more restrained here, while Hardware adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Hardware brings more warmth to the space, while Going Grey keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Going Grey vs Hardware Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Going Grey on one side and Hardware 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 Going Grey comparisons
See how Going Grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 22, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 22 vs 6, Going Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 22), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 22, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 22, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (27 vs 22) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
Going Grey reflects far more light (LRV 22 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 22, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (22 vs 13) makes Going Grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 22, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
With LRVs of 22 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 22, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 22, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 22, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (22 vs 12) makes Going Grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 22 vs 8, Going Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 22, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 22), opening up a space where Going Grey encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (22 vs 12) makes Going Grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 22, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 22), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.