Soft Apple vs Dix Blue
Soft Apple (Dulux) and Dix Blue (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Soft Apple reads as yellow, while Dix Blue reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 42-point LRV gap — 83 for Soft Apple vs 41 for Dix Blue — means Soft Apple will open up a space more effectively. Where Soft Apple leans warm, Dix Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 26.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Soft Apple vs Dix Blue in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Soft Apple and Dix 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. Soft Apple reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dix Blue.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Soft Apple returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Soft Apple vs Dix Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soft Apple on one side and Dix 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 Soft Apple comparisons
See how Soft Apple stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 69, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 83 and 83, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 52, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 30, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 60, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 43, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 4, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 84 vs 83), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 83 vs 21, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
Soft Apple reads slightly lighter (LRV 83 vs 74), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 83 and 83, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 83 vs 51, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Soft Apple reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 31, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 7, Soft Apple is decisively the brighter choice.