Breakwater vs Dutch Tile Blue
Breakwater and Dutch Tile Blue come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Breakwater belongs to the grey family and Dutch Tile Blue to the blue-grey family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 38 vs 39 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Breakwater leans neutral, Dutch Tile Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 4.1 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Breakwater vs Dutch Tile Blue in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Breakwater and Dutch Tile 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.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Dutch Tile Blue brings more warmth to the space, while Breakwater keeps things cooler and crisper.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Breakwater reads more restrained here, while Dutch Tile Blue adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Breakwater reads more restrained here, while Dutch Tile Blue adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Breakwater reads more restrained here, while Dutch Tile Blue adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Breakwater reads more restrained here, while Dutch Tile Blue adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Breakwater reads more restrained here, while Dutch Tile Blue adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Dutch Tile Blue brings more warmth to the space, while Breakwater keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Breakwater vs Dutch Tile Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Breakwater on one side and Dutch Tile 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 Breakwater comparisons
See how Breakwater stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 6, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.
Breakwater reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 38, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes Breakwater the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 13, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (44 vs 38) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.
Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 38, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 38, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 38, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 8, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 38, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 41 and 38, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Breakwater reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.