Blue Square vs Manitou Blue
Where Blue Square belongs to Behr's range, Manitou Blue is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Manitou Blue (LRV 26) reflects noticeably more light than Blue Square (LRV 20), a difference of 6 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Blue Square runs blue while Manitou Blue is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 3.3 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.
Blue Square vs Manitou Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Blue Square and Manitou Blue 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Manitou Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Manitou Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Manitou Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Blue Square vs Manitou Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Square on one side and Manitou 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 Blue Square comparisons
See how Blue Square stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
