Hicks' Blue vs Barely Pear
Hicks' Blue (Little Greene) and Barely Pear (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Hicks' Blue belongs to the blue family and Barely Pear to the beige-yellow family. Barely Pear has an LRV of 83. Where Hicks' Blue leans blue, Barely Pear reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 59.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Hicks' Blue vs Barely Pear in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Hicks' Blue and Barely Pear 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Color Details
Hicks' Blue vs Barely Pear Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hicks' Blue on one side and Barely Pear 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 Hicks' Blue comparisons
See how Hicks' Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
