Ocean Swell vs De Nimes
Where Ocean Swell belongs to Behr's range, De Nimes is a Farrow & Ball color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (19 vs 19), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Ocean Swell runs blue while De Nimes is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 3.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ocean Swell vs De Nimes in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Ocean Swell and De Nimes 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 temperature contrast between De Nimes and Ocean Swell is what sets these apart most in this context.
Color Details
Ocean Swell vs De Nimes Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ocean Swell on one side and De Nimes 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 Ocean Swell comparisons
See how Ocean Swell stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 19, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Ocean Swell reflects far more light (LRV 19 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 19, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (30 vs 19) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 19, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
Denim Drift reads slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 19), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 19, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 19 vs 4, Ocean Swell is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
Ocean Swell reads slightly lighter (LRV 19 vs 13), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 19, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 21 vs 19), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
Ocean Swell reads slightly lighter (LRV 19 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 19, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 19, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (25 vs 19) makes Treron the marginally brighter of the two.
Ocean Swell reads slightly lighter (LRV 19 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 19), opening up a space where Ocean Swell encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (31 vs 19) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 19 vs 7, Ocean Swell is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (24 vs 19) makes Cement grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 19, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.