Blue lilac vs Gentian
Blue lilac (RAL Classic) and Gentian (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Blue lilac belongs to the blue-purple family and Gentian to the blue family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 19 vs 18 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 9.2 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue lilac vs Gentian in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Blue lilac and Gentian 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.
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
Blue lilac vs Gentian Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue lilac on one side and Gentian 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 lilac comparisons
See how Blue lilac stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 19, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 19 vs 6, Blue lilac is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 19), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 19, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 19, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (27 vs 19) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
Blue lilac reflects far more light (LRV 19 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 19, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (19 vs 13) makes Blue lilac the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 19, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
With LRVs of 21 and 19, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 19, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 19, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 19, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (19 vs 12) makes Blue lilac the marginally brighter of the two.
A 11-point LRV gap (19 vs 8) makes Blue lilac the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 19, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (19 vs 12) makes Blue lilac the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 19, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 19), opening up a space where Blue lilac encloses it.