Sapphire blue vs Drift of Mist

Sapphire blueRAL ClassicvsDrift of MistSherwin-WilliamsΔE 68.2Very different colors

Where Sapphire blue belongs to RAL Classic's range, Drift of Mist is a Sherwin-Williams color. Sapphire blue reads as blue, while Drift of Mist reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Drift of Mist (LRV 69) reflects noticeably more light than Sapphire blue (LRV 6), a difference of 63 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 68.2, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Sapphire blue vs Drift of Mist in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Sapphire blue and Drift of Mist 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

In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Sapphire blue would.

Sapphire blueRAL Classic Sapphire blue 5003 stairs

@jak_chemia

Drift of MistDrift of Mist SW 9166 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Drift of Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Sapphire blue.

Sapphire blueRAL Classic 5003 bedroom accent wall

@sentimouk

Drift of MistBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Drift of Mist

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Drift of Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Sapphire blue.

Sapphire blueRAL Classic 5003 bathroom vanity

@miedzy_modern_a_farmhouse

Drift of MistBeige bathroom in Drift of Mist by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

House

Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Drift of Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Sapphire blue.

Sapphire blueRAL Classic Sapphire blue house exterior color

@menuiserie.pierrevincent

Drift of MistDrift of Mist house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Front Door

A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Drift of Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Sapphire blue would.

Sapphire blueRAL Classic Sapphire blue front door paint

@schildersbedrijf_hanstreffers

Drift of MistBeige front door with Drift of Mist SW 9166

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Drift of Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Sapphire blue.

Sapphire blueRAL Classic 5003 kitchen cabinets inspiration

@theladypaintdecor

Drift of MistDrift of Mist kitchen cabinets color

@bizzylizzydesigns

Color Details

Sapphire blue
RAL Classic · RAL 5003
Hex#1F3855
LRV6.2
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 5003
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
Drift of Mist
Sherwin-Williams · 9166
Hex#DCD8D0
LRV69.1
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9166
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Sapphire blue vs Drift of Mist Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Sapphire blue on one side and Drift of Mist on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Sapphire blue comparisons

See how Sapphire blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Sapphire blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Sapphire blue
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Sapphire blue
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Sapphire blue
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Sapphire blue
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Sapphire blue
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Sapphire blue
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Sapphire blue
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Sapphire blue
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Sapphire blue
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Sapphire blue
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Sapphire blue
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Sapphire blue
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Sapphire blue
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Sapphire blue
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Sapphire blue
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Sapphire blue
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Sapphire blue
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Sapphire blue
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Sapphire blue
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Sapphire blue
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Sapphire blue
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Sapphire blue
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Sapphire blue
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Sapphire blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Sapphire blue
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Sapphire blue
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Sapphire blue
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Sapphire blue
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Sapphire blue
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice