Celestial Blue vs Upward
Celestial Blue (Little Greene) and Upward (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Celestial Blue belongs to the blue-green family and Upward to the blue family. The 13-point LRV gap — 57 for Upward vs 44 for Celestial Blue — means Upward will open up a space more effectively. Where Celestial Blue leans green, Upward reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 11.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Celestial Blue vs Upward in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Celestial Blue and Upward 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. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Celestial 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. Upward 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. Upward 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. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Celestial Blue.
Color Details
Celestial Blue vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Celestial Blue on one side and Upward 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 Celestial Blue comparisons
See how Celestial Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
