Blue Iris vs Clean Slate paint color comparison

Blue Iris vs Clean Slate

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Blue Iris reads as blue-grey, while Clean Slate reads as blue-green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 76 vs 73, Clean Slate will read as the brighter of the two — a 3-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. With a ΔE of 2.3, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Blue Iris vs Clean Slate in Real Spaces

10 real rooms side by side. Blue Iris and Clean Slate 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. Clean Slate has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Blue IrisA hollywood regency living room painted in Blue Iris

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Clean SlateA contemporary living room painted in Clean Slate

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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 — Clean Slate gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue IrisA cozy bedroom painted in Blue Iris

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Clean SlateA cozy bedroom painted in Clean Slate

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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 — Clean Slate gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue IrisBlue Iris — scandinavian kitchen

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Clean SlateClean Slate — industrial 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. Clean Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Blue IrisBlue Iris paint in a parisian dining room

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Clean SlateClean Slate paint in a traditional 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 — Clean Slate gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue IrisBlue Iris — moody bathroom

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Clean SlateClean Slate — modern luxury 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 — Clean Slate gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue IrisSherwin-Williams Blue Iris in a industrial home office

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Clean SlateSherwin-Williams Clean Slate in a mid century 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. Clean Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Blue IrisBlue Iris paint in a neutral mudroom

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Clean SlateClean Slate paint in a cottagecore 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. Clean Slate reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Blue Irismediterranean patio featuring Blue Iris by Sherwin-Williams

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Clean Slateminimalist patio featuring Clean Slate 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 — Clean Slate gives the walls a little more lift.

Blue IrisBlue Iris color — traditional house inspiration

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Clean SlateClean Slate color — eclectic 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. Clean Slate has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Blue Irisstylish front door featuring Blue Iris by Sherwin-Williams

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Clean Slatemediterranean front door featuring Clean Slate by Sherwin-Williams

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Color Details

Blue Iris
Sherwin-Williams · 9687
LRV73.0
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9687
Undertone—
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessLight
Clean Slate
Sherwin-Williams · 9621
LRV76.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9621
Undertone—
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessLight

Blue Iris vs Clean Slate Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Iris on one side and Clean Slate 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.