Earl Blue vs Smoke Grey
Earl Blue and Smoke Grey come from the same Dulux collection. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 11-point LRV gap — 41 for Earl Blue vs 30 for Smoke Grey — means Earl 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. ΔE 9.2 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Earl Blue vs Smoke Grey in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Earl Blue and Smoke Grey 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
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. Earl Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoke Grey.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Earl Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Earl Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Earl Blue vs Smoke Grey Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Earl Blue on one side and Smoke Grey 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 Earl Blue comparisons
See how Earl Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 41) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 11-point LRV gap (41 vs 30) makes Earl Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 41, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 43 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 44 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 41, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (41 vs 31) makes Earl Blue the marginally brighter of the two.