Match Essential Gray
Sherwin-Williams Essential Gray is a mid-tone shade, neutral in character with an LRV of 48. The matches below are ranked by ΔE, a perceptual color-difference score.
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Closest matches across every brand
One match per brand, ranked by ΔE — a perceptual color difference score calculated from Lab color space values. Lower is closer. Click any card to compare side by side in simulated rooms.
With LRVs of 50 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 0.9 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
With LRVs of 49 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 1.2 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 48), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 1.5 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.
Silver Shores reads slightly lighter (LRV 53 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 1.5 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 46), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 1.8 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 46), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 1.8 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 48), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 2.2 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 47), so neither reads brighter in a room. A ΔE of 2.3 means the difference barely reads in a finished room.
With LRVs of 50 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.4 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
With LRVs of 50 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light. At ΔE 2.7 you'd need them side by side to tell them apart.
S 2502-Y50R reads slightly lighter (LRV 53 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms. At ΔE 3.3 they're clearly different, yet close enough to share a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 46), so neither reads brighter in a room. The ΔE 3.5 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.
A 3-point LRV gap (48 vs 45) makes Essential Gray the marginally brighter of the two. The ΔE 3.9 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.
A 5-point LRV gap (54 vs 48) makes Dash of Soot the marginally brighter of the two. The ΔE 4.3 gap is real but not dramatic — distinct as a choice, harmonious together.