Charcoal Blue vs Downing Slate
Charcoal Blue is a Behr color while Downing Slate comes from Sherwin-Williams. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. With LRVs of 19 and 21, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. The tonal difference — Charcoal Blue's blue character against Downing Slate's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. With a ΔE of 2.6, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Charcoal Blue vs Downing Slate in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Charcoal Blue and Downing Slate 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. Charcoal Blue reads more restrained here, while Downing Slate adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Charcoal Blue reads more restrained here, while Downing Slate adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Charcoal Blue vs Downing Slate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charcoal Blue on one side and Downing Slate 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.
