Blue Refrain vs Shoji White

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Blue Refrain reads as blue, while Shoji White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 74 vs 64, Shoji White will read as the brighter of the two — a 10-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Blue Refrain's cool character against Shoji White's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 21.6, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Blue Refrain vs Shoji White in Real Spaces

10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Blue Refrain and Shoji White 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

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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Blue RefrainA cozy living room painted in Blue Refrain

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Shoji WhiteShoji White SW 7042 living room

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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 LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Refrain would.

Blue RefrainA boho bedroom painted in Blue Refrain

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Shoji WhiteBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Shoji White

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Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Refrain would.

Blue RefrainBlue Refrain — vintage kitchen

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Shoji WhiteSherwin Williams Shoji White kitchen cabinets

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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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Refrain.

Blue RefrainBlue Refrain paint in a elegant dining room

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Shoji WhiteSW Shoji White modern 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 LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Refrain would.

Blue RefrainBlue Refrain — earthy bathroom

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Shoji WhiteWhite bathroom in Shoji White by Sherwin Williams

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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 LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Refrain would.

Blue RefrainSherwin-Williams Blue Refrain in a warm home office

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Shoji WhiteSW 7042 home office inspiration

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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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Refrain.

Blue RefrainBlue Refrain paint in a earthy mudroom

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Shoji WhiteShoji White Mudroom - Coastal Shiplap Drop Zone

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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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Refrain.

Blue Refraincontemporary patio featuring Blue Refrain by Sherwin-Williams

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Shoji WhiteShoji White Patio - Modern Minimalist Escape

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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 LRV gap is large enough that Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Refrain would.

Blue RefrainBlue Refrain color — rustic modern house inspiration

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Shoji WhiteShoji White house color review

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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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Blue Refrainbold front door featuring Blue Refrain by Sherwin-Williams

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Shoji WhiteWhite front door with Shoji White SW 7042

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Color Details

Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams · 6956
Hex#B0D8E7
LRV64.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6956
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams · 7042
Hex#E6DFD3
LRV74.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7042
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Blue Refrain vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Refrain on one side and Shoji White 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.

More Blue Refrain comparisons

See how Blue Refrain stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Blue Refrain
White Dove
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 83 vs 64, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Blue Refrain
Ammonite
Blue Refrain
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Ammonite reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Blue Refrain
Iron Ore
Blue Refrain
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 6, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Blue Refrain
Purbeck Stone
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.

Blue Refrain
Evergreen Fog
Blue Refrain
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.

Mizzle
Blue Refrain
Mizzle
Blue Refrain
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 52, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Agreeable Gray
Blue Refrain
Agreeable Gray
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reads slightly lighter (LRV 64 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Accessible Beige
Blue Refrain
Accessible Beige
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

A 7-point LRV gap (64 vs 58) makes Blue Refrain the marginally brighter of the two.

Denim Drift
Blue Refrain
Denim Drift
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 27, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

French Gray
Blue Refrain
French Gray
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.

Blue Refrain
Naval
Blue Refrain
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Blue Refrain
Tranquil Dawn
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

A 9-point LRV gap (64 vs 55) makes Blue Refrain the marginally brighter of the two.

Bancha
Blue Refrain
Bancha
Blue Refrain
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 13, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Hardwick White
Blue Refrain
Hardwick White
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 44, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Blue Refrain
Pure White
Blue Refrain
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 64), opening up a space where Blue Refrain encloses it.

Artichoke
Blue Refrain
Artichoke
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Blue Refrain
Balboa Mist
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 66 vs 64), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Blue Refrain
Snowbound
Blue Refrain
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 64, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Blue Refrain
Pewter Green
Blue Refrain
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 12, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Blue Refrain
Skimming Stone
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

A 4-point LRV gap (68 vs 64) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.

Dix Blue
Blue Refrain
Dix Blue
Blue Refrain
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.

Calamine
Blue Refrain
Calamine
Blue Refrain
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Treron
Blue Refrain
Treron
Blue Refrain
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Vintage Vogue
Blue Refrain
Vintage Vogue
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 12, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Saybrook Sage
Blue Refrain
Saybrook Sage
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

At LRV 64 vs 45, Blue Refrain is decisively the brighter choice.

Pale Green
Blue Refrain
Pale Green
Blue Refrain
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.

Pine Needle
Blue Refrain
Pine Needle
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Blue Refrain
Cement grey
Blue Refrain
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Guilford Green
Blue Refrain
Guilford Green
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Blue Refrain reads slightly lighter (LRV 64 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Just Walnut
Blue Refrain
Just Walnut
Blue Refrain
Sherwin-Williams
Blue Refrain
6956 · LRV 64

Just Walnut reads slightly lighter (LRV 72 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.