Esmeralda vs Millstream
Both from Behr's palette. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Millstream (LRV 61) reflects noticeably more light than Esmeralda (LRV 18), a difference of 43 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Esmeralda runs green and blue while Millstream is decidedly blue, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 39.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Esmeralda vs Millstream in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Esmeralda and Millstream 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
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 LRV gap is large enough that Millstream will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Esmeralda would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Millstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Esmeralda.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Millstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Esmeralda.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Millstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Esmeralda.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Millstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Esmeralda.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Millstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Esmeralda.
Color Details
Esmeralda vs Millstream Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Esmeralda on one side and Millstream 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 Esmeralda comparisons
See how Esmeralda stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
