Earl Blue vs Retreat
Earl Blue is a Dulux color while Retreat comes from Sherwin-Williams. Earl Blue reads as blue-grey, while Retreat reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 41 vs 21, Earl Blue will read as the brighter of the two — a 20-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Earl Blue's cool character against Retreat's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 18.0, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Earl Blue vs Retreat in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Earl Blue and Retreat 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Earl Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Retreat would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Retreat would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Retreat would.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Retreat would.
Color Details
Earl Blue vs Retreat Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Earl Blue on one side and Retreat 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.
