Blue grey vs Gibraltar
Blue grey (RAL Classic) and Gibraltar (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 3-point LRV gap — 16 for Blue grey vs 14 for Gibraltar — means Blue grey will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 2.8 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue grey vs Gibraltar in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Blue grey and Gibraltar are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Blue grey vs Gibraltar Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue grey on one side and Gibraltar 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 Blue grey comparisons
See how Blue grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 16, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 16), opening up a space where Blue grey encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 16), opening up a space where Blue grey encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 16), opening up a space where Blue grey encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 16, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (27 vs 16) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 16), opening up a space where Blue grey encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 16, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 16, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 16), opening up a space where Blue grey encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 16, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 16, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (16 vs 12) makes Blue grey the marginally brighter of the two.
A 8-point LRV gap (16 vs 8) makes Blue grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 16, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (16 vs 12) makes Blue grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 16, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 16), opening up a space where Blue grey encloses it.