Blue Cruise vs Inky 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. Blue Cruise (LRV 26) reflects noticeably more light than Inky Blue (LRV 15), a difference of 10 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 11.9, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue Cruise vs Inky Blue in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Blue Cruise and Inky 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 Blue Cruise will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Inky Blue would.
Color Details
Blue Cruise vs Inky Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Cruise on one side and Inky 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 Blue Cruise comparisons
See how Blue Cruise stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
