Swirling Water vs Tar
Where Swirling Water belongs to Behr's range, Tar is a Farrow & Ball color. Hue-wise, Swirling Water belongs to the white family and Tar to the grey family. Swirling Water (LRV 81) reflects noticeably more light than Tar (LRV 9), a difference of 72 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Swirling Water runs blue while Tar is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 3.3 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.
Color Details
Swirling Water vs Tar Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Swirling Water on one side and Tar 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 Swirling Water comparisons
See how Swirling Water stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Swirling Water reads slightly lighter (LRV 81 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 83 vs 81), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 81 vs 6, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 52, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 58, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 27, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 55, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 13, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 44, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 81), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 66, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (81 vs 74) makes Swirling Water the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 83 vs 81), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 51), opening up a space where Pigeon encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 12, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 8, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 68, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 12, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 45, Swirling Water is decisively the brighter choice.
Swirling Water reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.