Breakwater vs Clean Slate
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Breakwater belongs to the grey family and Clean Slate to the blue-green family. Clean Slate (LRV 76) reflects noticeably more light than Breakwater (LRV 38), a difference of 38 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 21.7, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Breakwater vs Clean Slate in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Breakwater and Clean Slate 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
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 Clean Slate will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Breakwater 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. Clean Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Breakwater.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Clean Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Breakwater.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Clean Slate returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Clean Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Breakwater.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Clean Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Breakwater.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Clean Slate returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Clean Slate returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Clean Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Breakwater.
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 Clean Slate will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Breakwater would.
Color Details
Breakwater vs Clean Slate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Breakwater on one side and Clean Slate 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.