Charcoal Blue vs Backwater
Charcoal Blue is a Behr color while Backwater comes from Cloverdale Paint. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. With LRVs of 19 and 18, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 2.5, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Charcoal Blue vs Backwater in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Charcoal Blue and Backwater 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Charcoal Blue vs Backwater Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charcoal Blue on one side and Backwater 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 Charcoal Blue comparisons
See how Charcoal Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
