Dix Blue vs Searching Blue
Dix Blue (Farrow & Ball) and Searching Blue (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Dix Blue belongs to the blue-grey family and Searching Blue to the blue family. The 20-point LRV gap — 41 for Dix Blue vs 21 for Searching Blue — 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 25.5 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.
Dix Blue vs Searching Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dix Blue and Searching Blue in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 Searching Blue would.
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. Dix Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Dix Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Searching Blue.
Color Details
Dix Blue vs Searching Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dix Blue on one side and Searching 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 Dix Blue comparisons
See how Dix Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
