Blue Iris
Blue Iris is a bright and airy Purple from Sherwin-Williams. Our real-world data shows it is a primary choice when homeowners need to maximize natural light while maintaining a clean, neutral backdrop. Below, you'll find 10 examples of this shade in actual homes along with suggested color relationships.
Hex
#DCDEE0
LRV
72.97
Blue Iris in Real Rooms
Blue Iris has a high LRV of 72.97 — it reflects a lot of light and will read pale and airy in most spaces. It's neutral in temperature, making it adaptable across different lighting conditions and room orientations. Grouped in the Purple family, the photos below show it applied in a front door, bathroom, bedroom, home office, dining room, patio, mudroom, house, living room and kitchen.
1 Front Door Photo
Using Blue Iris for the front door allows the hardware to be the "jewelry" of the house. Whether you choose a modern long-bar handle or a traditional knocker, the color provides the perfect stage for the metalwork to shine.
stylish front door featuring Blue Iris by Sherwin-Williams
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Bathroom Photo
Using Blue Iris on a bathroom vanity is a clever way to introduce color without painting the walls. It creates a sophisticated anchor for the room, especially when topped with a thick white quartz or a contrasting dark stone.
Blue Iris — moody bathroom
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Bedroom Photo
There's a rhythmic quality to Blue Iris in a bedroom. It's a color that supports the circadian rhythm, mirroring the natural shadows of the evening and providing a neutral, non-stimulating canvas for the brain to decompress after a long day of digital exposure.
A cozy bedroom painted in Blue Iris
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Home Office Photo
A home office in Blue Iris strikes the perfect balance between focused and inviting. The color grounds the room without feeling corporate, and its depth gives the space a sense of purpose. Pair with dark wood furniture to make long working hours feel more comfortable.
Sherwin-Williams Blue Iris in a industrial home office
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Dining Room Photo
Dining rooms benefit from colors with some weight to them — lighter shades can feel too open for a space meant for intimate evening gatherings. Blue Iris does what good dining room color should: it makes the table feel like the center of the world.
Blue Iris paint in a parisian dining room
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Patio Photo
Blue Iris on a patio surface or garden wall creates a visual anchor that ties together furniture, plantings, and architecture. It reads as intentional in a way that natural wood or stone alone rarely achieves, providing a polished "finished" look to the landscape.
mediterranean patio featuring Blue Iris by Sherwin-Williams
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Mudroom Photo
In a mudroom, Blue Iris provides a clean "reset" as you enter the home. It's a palette cleanser that helps you leave the stress of the outside world at the door, creating a transition zone that is both functional and beautiful.
Blue Iris paint in a neutral mudroom
@mybudgetrecipes
1 House Photo
In suburban environments, Blue Iris provides a sophisticated point of difference. It stands out from the sea of beige and grey without being "that house" that's too loud. It's the subtle, high-end choice that improves the curb appeal of the entire block.
Blue Iris color — traditional house inspiration
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Living Room Photo
In a living room, Blue Iris acts as a bridge between the indoors and the view outside. It carries the organic weight of the natural world into the home, allowing the greenery from windows to pop while keeping the interior feeling protected and private. Pair it with oversized plants and ceramic vessels for a full organic-modern aesthetic.
A hollywood regency living room painted in Blue Iris
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Kitchen Photo
For smaller kitchens, Blue Iris can be used to create a "jewel box" effect. By painting the walls and trim in this same shade, you eliminate visual breaks, making the room feel more expansive and sophisticated despite its modest footprint.
Blue Iris — scandinavian kitchen
@mybudgetrecipes
Coordinating Colors
A 10-point LRV gap (83 vs 73) makes White Sail the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 73 vs 40, Blue Iris is decisively the brighter choice.
Blue Iris reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 4), opening up a space where Mountain Fig encloses it.
Similar Colors
With LRVs of 75 and 73, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 3-point LRV gap (76 vs 73) makes Soothing White the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 76 vs 73), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 76 vs 73), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Blue Iris reads slightly lighter (LRV 73 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 73 and 72, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 3-point LRV gap (76 vs 73) makes Clean Slate the marginally brighter of the two.
A 5-point LRV gap (77 vs 73) makes Glass Bead the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 73 vs 73), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Complementary Colors
Blue Iris reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 35), opening up a space where Truly Taupe encloses it.
Heavenly White reads slightly lighter (LRV 81 vs 73), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 74 vs 73), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 73 vs 20, Blue Iris is decisively the brighter choice.
