Aqua-Sphere vs Refuge
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Aqua-Sphere belongs to the blue-grey family and Refuge to the blue family. Aqua-Sphere (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Refuge (LRV 19), a difference of 22 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 20.4, 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.
Aqua-Sphere vs Refuge in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Aqua-Sphere and Refuge 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 Aqua-Sphere will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Refuge would.
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. Aqua-Sphere reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Refuge.
Color Details
Aqua-Sphere vs Refuge Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Aqua-Sphere on one side and Refuge 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 Aqua-Sphere comparisons
See how Aqua-Sphere stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 41, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 41), opening up a space where Aqua-Sphere encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 6, Aqua-Sphere is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Aqua-Sphere reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (52 vs 41) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 41), opening up a space where Aqua-Sphere encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 41, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 41 vs 27, Aqua-Sphere is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Aqua-Sphere reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 41, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 41 vs 13, Aqua-Sphere is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 41), opening up a space where Aqua-Sphere encloses it.
Aqua-Sphere reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 41, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 41, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 41, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 41 vs 12, Aqua-Sphere is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 41, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 41 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 41), opening up a space where Aqua-Sphere encloses it.
Aqua-Sphere reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 12, Aqua-Sphere is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (45 vs 41) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Aqua-Sphere reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Aqua-Sphere reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Aqua-Sphere reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 41), opening up a space where Aqua-Sphere encloses it.