Aqua Fresco vs Hicks' Blue
Aqua Fresco (Behr) and Hicks' Blue (Little Greene) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Aqua Fresco has an LRV of 24. Both share a blue character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 31.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Aqua Fresco vs Hicks' Blue in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Aqua Fresco and Hicks' Blue 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Aqua Fresco vs Hicks' Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Aqua Fresco on one side and Hicks' Blue 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 Aqua Fresco comparisons
See how Aqua Fresco stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 24, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 24 vs 6, Aqua Fresco is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 24, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 24, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
Aqua Fresco reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 24, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (24 vs 13) makes Aqua Fresco the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 24, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
With LRVs of 24 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 24, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 24, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 24, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
At LRV 24 vs 12, Aqua Fresco is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 24 vs 8, Aqua Fresco is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 24, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 24), opening up a space where Aqua Fresco encloses it.
At LRV 24 vs 12, Aqua Fresco is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 24, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Aqua Fresco reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.