Blithe Blue vs Tricorn Black

Blithe Blue and Tricorn Black come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Blithe Blue reads as blue, while Tricorn Black reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 43-point LRV gap — 46 for Blithe Blue vs 3 for Tricorn Black — means Blithe Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Blithe Blue leans cool, Tricorn Black reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 56.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Blithe Blue vs Tricorn Black in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Blithe Blue and Tricorn Black in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Blithe Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Blithe BlueSherwin Williams Blithe Blue Bedroom Accent Wall

@poet.erin.belieu

Tricorn BlackBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black

@mybudgetrecipes

House

A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Blithe Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Blithe BlueSherwin Williams SW 9052 exterior color

@smileamilepainting.id

Tricorn BlackTricorn Black house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Blithe Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Tricorn Black.

Blithe BlueSherwin Williams Blithe Blue door paint

@smileamilepainting.id

Tricorn BlackGray front door with Tricorn Black SW 6258

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Blithe Blue
Sherwin-Williams · 9052
Hex#90BDBD
LRV46.0
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9052
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Tricorn Black
Sherwin-Williams · 6258
Hex#2F2F30
LRV2.9
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6258
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Blithe Blue vs Tricorn Black Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blithe Blue on one side and Tricorn Black 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 Blithe Blue comparisons

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

White Dove
Blithe Blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Blithe Blue
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
Blithe Blue
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Blithe Blue
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Blithe Blue
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Blithe Blue
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Blithe Blue
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Blithe Blue
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Blithe Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Blithe Blue
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Blithe Blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Blithe Blue
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Blithe Blue
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Blithe Blue
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Blithe Blue
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Piazza
Blithe Blue
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
Blithe Blue
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
Blithe Blue
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Blithe Blue
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Blithe Blue reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Blithe Blue
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Blithe Blue
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
Blithe Blue
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Blithe Blue
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Blithe Blue
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Blithe Blue
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Nearly identical in tone

Teton Blue
Blithe Blue
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Blithe Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Blithe Blue
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Blithe Blue
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Blithe Blue
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Blithe Blue
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Blithe Blue is the lighter choice