Shadow White → Sherwin Williams
The closest Sherwin Williams matches for Farrow & Ball Shadow White (No.282), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Shadow White
If you love Farrow & Ball Shadow White but need a Sherwin Williams alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Sherwin Williams, your local store does not carry Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Shadow White (No.282) is a light white with warm cream undertones. A warm, creamy white with gentle depth. Less stark than Wimborne White. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 78) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Shadow White and every Sherwin Williams color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
The results are decent but not perfect. The closest Sherwin Williams option is Creamy (SW 7012) with a Delta E of 3.8, which is a "good match" level match. Creamy is similar. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Sherwin Williams Matches for Shadow White
Creamy is similar.
| Shadow White | Creamy | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 78 | 81 |
| Hex | #E8E3D9 | #EBE5D6 |
| Undertone | Warm Cream | Warm Cream |
| Family | White | Cream |
Undertone Comparison
Shadow White has warm cream undertones. A warm, creamy white with gentle depth. Less stark than Wimborne White.
Creamy has warm cream undertones. A warm cream off-white. More yellow than Alabaster, more white than Dover White. A classic warm cream.
The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Shadow White's warm cream quality may read differently than Creamy's warm cream character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Shadow White in Your Room
Warm and subtle. Reads as a rich warm white.
Creamy in Your Room
The cream warmth is gentle and consistent. Reads as a warm off-white in all conditions.
LRV and Brightness
Shadow White has an LRV of 78, while Creamy has an LRV of 81. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.
Best Rooms for Shadow White
Farrow & Ball recommends Shadow White for: whole house, living room, bedroom, kitchen. With an LRV of 78, this is a light color that reflects a lot of light and works well in any room, including smaller spaces where you want to maintain a bright, open feel. It is light enough for whole-house use without making rooms feel washed out or sterile.
Creamy is recommended for: whole house, trim, living room, bedroom, hallway. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Creamy in the same rooms you planned for Shadow White.
Shadow White in Other Brands
Looking for Shadow White equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Shadow White (No.282) is Creamy (SW 7012) with a Delta E of 3.8, which rates as a "good match" match. Creamy is similar. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Shadow White is a Farrow & Ball color with warm cream undertones and an LRV of 78. Creamy is a Sherwin Williams color with warm cream undertones and an LRV of 81. With a Delta E of 3.8, the difference is subtle and mainly visible in direct side-by-side comparison. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 3.8, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Sherwin Williams equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Sherwin Williams. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Sherwin Williams work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.