Agua Fría vs Byte Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Byte Blue (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Agua Fría (LRV 52), a difference of 17 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 10.5, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Agua Fría vs Byte Blue in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Agua Fría and Byte Blue 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 Byte Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Agua Fría would.
Color Details
Agua Fría vs Byte Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Agua Fría on one side and Byte Blue 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 Agua Fría comparisons
See how Agua Fría stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 52), opening up a space where Agua Fría encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 52 vs 52), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 52 vs 30, Agua Fría is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (60 vs 52) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agua Fría reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (52 vs 43) makes Agua Fría the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agua Fría reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 52, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 52), opening up a space where Agua Fría encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 52), opening up a space where Agua Fría encloses it.
Agua Fría reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Agua Fría encloses it.
Agua Fría reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Agua Fría reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 31, Agua Fría is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Agua Fría is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 24, Agua Fría is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (57 vs 52) makes Guilford Green the marginally brighter of the two.