Cobalt blue vs Dress Blues
Cobalt blue (RAL Classic) and Dress Blues (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 6 vs 5 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 9.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cobalt blue vs Dress Blues in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Cobalt blue and Dress Blues 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.
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
Cobalt blue vs Dress Blues Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cobalt blue on one side and Dress Blues 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 Cobalt blue comparisons
See how Cobalt blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
