Atmosphere vs Hinting Blue
Where Atmosphere belongs to Dulux's range, Hinting Blue is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Atmosphere (LRV 83) reflects noticeably more light than Hinting Blue (LRV 68), a difference of 15 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. At ΔE 1.3, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Atmosphere vs Hinting Blue in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Atmosphere and Hinting Blue 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 LRV gap is large enough that Atmosphere will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hinting Blue 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. Atmosphere reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hinting Blue.
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. Atmosphere reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hinting Blue.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Atmosphere reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hinting Blue.
Color Details
Atmosphere vs Hinting Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Atmosphere on one side and Hinting Blue 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 Atmosphere comparisons
See how Atmosphere stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
