Blue Nile vs Loch Blue
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. At LRV 16 vs 13, Loch Blue 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 cool quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 7.4, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue Nile vs Loch Blue in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Blue Nile and Loch Blue 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.
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 — Loch Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
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. Loch Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Blue Nile vs Loch Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Nile on one side and Loch 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 Nile comparisons
See how Blue Nile stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 13, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 13, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 13, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 13, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 13, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 13), opening up a space where Blue Nile encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 13, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (13 vs 7) makes Blue Nile the marginally brighter of the two.
A 12-point LRV gap (24 vs 13) makes Cement grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 13, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.