Steel Symphony 1 vs Dix Blue
Steel Symphony 1 (Dulux) and Dix Blue (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 24-point LRV gap — 41 for Dix Blue vs 17 for Steel Symphony 1 — means Dix 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 25.0 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Steel Symphony 1 vs Dix Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Steel Symphony 1 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. Dix Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steel Symphony 1.
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. Dix Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Dix Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Steel Symphony 1 would.
Color Details
Steel Symphony 1 vs Dix Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Steel Symphony 1 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 Steel Symphony 1 comparisons
See how Steel Symphony 1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
