Stiffkey Blue vs Shoji White paint color comparison

Stiffkey Blue vs Shoji White

Stiffkey BlueFarrow & BallvsShoji WhiteSherwin-WilliamsΔE 53.9Very different colors

Stiffkey Blue is a Farrow & Ball color while Shoji White comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Stiffkey Blue belongs to the blue family and Shoji White to the beige-greige family. At LRV 74 vs 10, Shoji White will read as the brighter of the two — a 64-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Stiffkey Blue's cool character against Shoji White's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 53.9, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 9 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Stiffkey Blue vs Shoji White in Real Spaces

9 real rooms side by side. Seeing Stiffkey Blue and Shoji White 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 living room fireplace

@barnesandmoss

Shoji WhiteShoji White SW 7042 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 bedroom

@riverapartment

Shoji WhiteBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Shoji White

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 kitchen

@jonospink

Shoji WhiteSherwin Williams Shoji White kitchen cabinets

@mybudgetrecipes

Dining Room

Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Stiffkey Blue.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 dining room

@de_drye_kaasen

Shoji WhiteSW Shoji White modern dining room

@the.redwood.house

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 bathroom

@stowflat

Shoji WhiteWhite bathroom in Shoji White by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 home office

@mylovelyhouseideas

Shoji WhiteSW 7042 home office inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 exterior

@studiotoop

Shoji WhiteShoji White house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 front door

@the_burgess_group

Shoji WhiteWhite front door with Shoji White SW 7042

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 kitchen cabinets

@themiddleterrace

Shoji WhiteSw Shoji White Kitchen Cabinets

@oldschoolcharmvintage

Color Details

Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball · 281
Hex#4d5b6a
LRV10.0
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number281
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams · 7042
Hex#E6DFD3
LRV74.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7042
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Stiffkey Blue vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Stiffkey Blue on one side and Shoji White on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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.

White Dove
Stiffkey Blue
White Dove vs Stiffkey Blue
White Dove
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 83 vs 10, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Stiffkey Blue
Ammonite vs Stiffkey Blue
Ammonite
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Stiffkey Blue
Iron Ore
Stiffkey Blue vs Iron Ore
Stiffkey Blue
Iron Ore
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

A 4-point LRV gap (10 vs 6) makes Stiffkey Blue the marginally brighter of the two.

Purbeck Stone
Stiffkey Blue
Purbeck Stone vs Stiffkey Blue
Purbeck Stone
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Stiffkey Blue
Evergreen Fog
Stiffkey Blue vs Evergreen Fog
Stiffkey Blue
Evergreen Fog
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Mizzle
Stiffkey Blue
Mizzle vs Stiffkey Blue
Mizzle
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 52 vs 10, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Stiffkey Blue
Agreeable Gray
Stiffkey Blue vs Agreeable Gray
Stiffkey Blue
Agreeable Gray
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Stiffkey Blue
Accessible Beige
Stiffkey Blue vs Accessible Beige
Stiffkey Blue
Accessible Beige
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 58 vs 10, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Stiffkey Blue
Denim Drift vs Stiffkey Blue
Denim Drift
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 27 vs 10, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.

French Gray
Stiffkey Blue
French Gray vs Stiffkey Blue
French Gray
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Stiffkey Blue
Naval
Stiffkey Blue vs Naval
Stiffkey Blue
Naval
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Stiffkey Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Tranquil Dawn
Stiffkey Blue
Tranquil Dawn vs Stiffkey Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 55 vs 10, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Stiffkey Blue
Bancha vs Stiffkey Blue
Bancha
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

A 3-point LRV gap (13 vs 10) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.

Hardwick White
Stiffkey Blue
Hardwick White vs Stiffkey Blue
Hardwick White
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 44 vs 10, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Stiffkey Blue
Pure White
Stiffkey Blue vs Pure White
Stiffkey Blue
Pure White
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Stiffkey Blue
Artichoke
Stiffkey Blue vs Artichoke
Stiffkey Blue
Artichoke
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 10), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Balboa Mist
Stiffkey Blue
Balboa Mist vs Stiffkey Blue
Balboa Mist
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 66 vs 10, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Stiffkey Blue
Snowbound
Stiffkey Blue vs Snowbound
Stiffkey Blue
Snowbound
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 10, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Stiffkey Blue
Pewter Green
Stiffkey Blue vs Pewter Green
Stiffkey Blue
Pewter Green
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 10), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Skimming Stone
Stiffkey Blue
Skimming Stone vs Stiffkey Blue
Skimming Stone
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 68 vs 10, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Stiffkey Blue
Dix Blue vs Stiffkey Blue
Dix Blue
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Calamine
Stiffkey Blue
Calamine vs Stiffkey Blue
Calamine
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Stiffkey Blue
Treron
Stiffkey Blue vs Treron
Stiffkey Blue
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Vintage Vogue
Stiffkey Blue
Vintage Vogue vs Stiffkey Blue
Vintage Vogue
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 10), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Saybrook Sage
Stiffkey Blue
Saybrook Sage vs Stiffkey Blue
Saybrook Sage
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

At LRV 45 vs 10, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Stiffkey Blue
Pale Green
Stiffkey Blue vs Pale Green
Stiffkey Blue
Pale Green
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Pine Needle
Stiffkey Blue
Pine Needle vs Stiffkey Blue
Pine Needle
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Stiffkey Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Stiffkey Blue
Cement grey
Stiffkey Blue vs Cement grey
Stiffkey Blue
Cement grey
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Guilford Green
Stiffkey Blue
Guilford Green vs Stiffkey Blue
Guilford Green
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.

Just Walnut
Stiffkey Blue
Just Walnut vs Stiffkey Blue
Just Walnut
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue
281 · LRV 10

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 10), opening up a space where Stiffkey Blue encloses it.