Stonewashed Blue vs Air Force Blue
Where Stonewashed Blue belongs to Dulux's range, Air Force Blue is a Little Greene color. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Stonewashed Blue (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Air Force Blue (LRV 22), a difference of 6 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Stonewashed Blue runs cool while Air Force Blue is decidedly blue, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 5.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Stonewashed Blue vs Air Force Blue in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Stonewashed Blue and Air Force Blue 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.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Stonewashed Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Stonewashed Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Stonewashed Blue vs Air Force Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Stonewashed Blue on one side and Air Force 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 Stonewashed Blue comparisons
See how Stonewashed Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 28, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 6, Stonewashed Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 28, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 28, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 28, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 28 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
Stonewashed Blue reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 28, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 13, Stonewashed Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 28, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
Stonewashed Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 28 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 28, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 28, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 28, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
At LRV 28 vs 12, Stonewashed Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 8, Stonewashed Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 28, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 28), opening up a space where Stonewashed Blue encloses it.
At LRV 28 vs 12, Stonewashed Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 28, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 28), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.