Stonewashed Blue vs Downing Slate
Where Stonewashed Blue belongs to Dulux's range, Downing Slate is a Sherwin-Williams color. Stonewashed Blue reads as blue, while Downing Slate reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Stonewashed Blue (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Downing Slate (LRV 21), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Stonewashed Blue runs cool while Downing Slate is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 14.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Stonewashed Blue vs Downing Slate in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Stonewashed Blue and Downing Slate 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — Stonewashed Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Stonewashed Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Stonewashed Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Stonewashed Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Stonewashed Blue vs Downing Slate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Stonewashed Blue on one side and Downing Slate 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.
