Blue Horizon vs Tidewater
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Blue Horizon (LRV 78) reflects noticeably more light than Tidewater (LRV 65), a difference of 13 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 6.6 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue Horizon vs Tidewater in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Blue Horizon and Tidewater 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
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 Horizon will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Tidewater would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Blue Horizon reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Tidewater.
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. Blue Horizon reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Tidewater.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Blue Horizon will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Tidewater would.
Color Details
Blue Horizon vs Tidewater Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Horizon on one side and Tidewater 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.