Stiffkey Blue vs Rain
Stiffkey Blue (Farrow & Ball) and Rain (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Stiffkey Blue belongs to the blue family and Rain to the blue-grey family. The 39-point LRV gap — 49 for Rain vs 10 for Stiffkey Blue — means Rain 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 38.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Stiffkey Blue vs Rain in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Stiffkey Blue and Rain 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. Rain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Stiffkey Blue.
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. Rain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Rain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Rain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Rain 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. Rain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Stiffkey Blue.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Rain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Stiffkey Blue vs Rain Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Stiffkey Blue on one side and Rain 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 Stiffkey Blue comparisons
See how Stiffkey Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
