Reef Blue vs Paper

Reef BlueBehrvsPaperTikkurilaΔE 27.9Very different colors

Where Reef Blue belongs to Behr's range, Paper is a Tikkurila color. Hue-wise, Reef Blue belongs to the blue family and Paper to the beige-greige family. Paper (LRV 88) reflects noticeably more light than Reef Blue (LRV 45), a difference of 44 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 27.9, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Reef Blue vs Paper in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Reef Blue and Paper 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 Paper will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Reef Blue would.

Reef BlueBehr Reef Blue living room interior

Visualization

PaperTikkurila Paper F497 living room day mood

@harmaamaja

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Paper reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Reef Blue.

Reef BlueBehr Reef Blue bedroom

Visualization

PaperTikkurila Paper F497 bedroom

@harmaamaja

Kitchen

In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Paper reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Reef Blue.

Reef BlueBehr Reef Blue kitchen painted backsplash

Visualization

PaperTikkurila Paper F497 kitchen

@kotikodesign

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. Paper reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Reef Blue.

Reef BlueBehr Reef Blue victorian house interior

Visualization

PaperTikkurila Paper F497 house garage interior

@harmaamaja

Color Details

Reef Blue
Behr · S490-3
Hex#93bdcf
LRV44.9
BrandBehr
NumberS490-3
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Paper
Tikkurila · F497
Hex#F2F2ED
LRV88.4
BrandTikkurila
NumberF497
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessLight

Reef Blue vs Paper Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Reef Blue on one side and Paper on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Reef Blue comparisons

See how Reef Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Reef Blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Reef Blue
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
Reef Blue
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Reef Blue
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Reef Blue
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Reef Blue
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Reef Blue
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Reef Blue
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Reef Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Reef Blue
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Reef Blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Reef Blue
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Reef Blue
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Reef Blue
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Reef Blue
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Piazza
Reef Blue
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
Reef Blue
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
Reef Blue
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Reef Blue
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Reef Blue reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Reef Blue
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Reef Blue
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
Reef Blue
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Reef Blue
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Reef Blue
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Reef Blue
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Reef Blue
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Reef Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Reef Blue
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Reef Blue
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Passageway
Reef Blue
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Reef Blue is the lighter choice

RAL 180-1
Reef Blue
RAL 180-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 180-1
LRV 49

RAL 180-1 reads slightly lighter