Esmeralda vs Meringue
Esmeralda (Behr) and Meringue (Cloverdale Paint) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 9-point LRV gap — 27 for Meringue vs 18 for Esmeralda — means Meringue will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.4 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Esmeralda vs Meringue in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Esmeralda and Meringue 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
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. Meringue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Esmeralda.
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. Meringue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Meringue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Meringue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Esmeralda vs Meringue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Esmeralda on one side and Meringue 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.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 18, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 18, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 18, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
Denim Drift reads slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 18, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 18, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
Esmeralda reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Esmeralda reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
Esmeralda reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 18), opening up a space where Esmeralda encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 18, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.