Blue Horizon vs Crystal Clear paint color comparison

Blue Horizon vs Crystal Clear

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Blue Horizon reads as blue, while Crystal Clear reads as green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 81 vs 78, Crystal Clear will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a cool quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 3.3, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Blue Horizon vs Crystal Clear in Real Spaces

10 real rooms side by side. Blue Horizon and Crystal Clear 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.

Living Room

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Crystal Clear has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Blue HorizonA hollywood regency living room painted in Blue Horizon

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Crystal ClearA organic modern living room painted in Crystal Clear

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Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Crystal Clear gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue HorizonA modern luxury bedroom painted in Blue Horizon

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Crystal ClearA moody bedroom painted in Crystal Clear

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Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — Crystal Clear gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue HorizonBlue Horizon — scandinavian kitchen

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Crystal ClearCrystal Clear — classy kitchen

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Dining Room

Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Crystal Clear reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Blue HorizonBlue Horizon paint in a art deco dining room

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Crystal ClearCrystal Clear paint in a moody dining room

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Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Crystal Clear gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue HorizonBlue Horizon — coastal bathroom

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Crystal ClearCrystal Clear — japandi bathroom

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Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The brightness difference is modest but present — Crystal Clear gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue HorizonSherwin-Williams Blue Horizon in a neutral home office

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Crystal ClearSherwin-Williams Crystal Clear in a industrial home office

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Mudroom

A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. Crystal Clear reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Blue HorizonBlue Horizon paint in a traditional mudroom

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Crystal ClearCrystal Clear paint in a neutral mudroom

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Patio

Patio colors are seen under changing outdoor light throughout the day — morning, midday, and golden hour each reveal different qualities. Crystal Clear reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Blue Horizonwarm patio featuring Blue Horizon by Sherwin-Williams

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Crystal Clearaesthetic patio featuring Crystal Clear by Sherwin-Williams

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House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Crystal Clear gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue HorizonBlue Horizon color — modern luxury house inspiration

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Crystal ClearCrystal Clear color — maximalist house inspiration

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Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Crystal Clear has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Blue Horizonclassy front door featuring Blue Horizon by Sherwin-Williams

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Crystal Clearmodern luxury front door featuring Crystal Clear by Sherwin-Williams

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Color Details

Blue Horizon
Sherwin-Williams · 6497
LRV77.7
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6497
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight
Crystal Clear
Sherwin-Williams · 6756
LRV81.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6756
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight

Blue Horizon vs Crystal Clear Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Horizon on one side and Crystal Clear 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.