Bathe Blue vs Cay
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. Bathe Blue (LRV 71) reflects noticeably more light than Cay (LRV 58), a difference of 12 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. The ΔE 7.6 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Bathe Blue vs Cay in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Bathe Blue and Cay 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.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Bathe Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cay.
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. Bathe Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cay.
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. Bathe Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cay.
Color Details
Bathe Blue vs Cay Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Bathe Blue on one side and Cay 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 Bathe Blue comparisons
See how Bathe Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 71), opening up a space where Bathe Blue encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 71 vs 69), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 52, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 30, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (71 vs 60) makes Bathe Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 43, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 4, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 71, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 21, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Bathe Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 71 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 71), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 71), opening up a space where Bathe Blue encloses it.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
With LRVs of 71 and 68, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 71 vs 41, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (71 vs 68) makes Bathe Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 71 vs 25, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Bathe Blue reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 31, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 7, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 24, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 57, Bathe Blue is decisively the brighter choice.