Denim Drift vs Buoyant Blue
Denim Drift (Dulux) and Buoyant Blue (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Denim Drift reads as blue-grey, while Buoyant Blue reads as blue-green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 53-point LRV gap — 80 for Buoyant Blue vs 27 for Denim Drift — means Buoyant Blue will open up a space more effectively. Both share a cool character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 34.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Denim Drift vs Buoyant Blue in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Denim Drift and Buoyant Blue 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
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. Buoyant Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Denim Drift.
Color Details
Denim Drift vs Buoyant Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Denim Drift on one side and Buoyant 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 Denim Drift comparisons
See how Denim Drift stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
