Breakwater vs Studio Blue Green paint color comparison

Breakwater vs Studio Blue Green

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Breakwater belongs to the grey family and Studio Blue Green to the blue-green family. At LRV 38 vs 20, Breakwater will read as the brighter of the two — a 18-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Breakwater's neutral character against Studio Blue Green's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 17.2, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Breakwater vs Studio Blue Green in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Breakwater and Studio Blue Green 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. Breakwater returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

BreakwaterA minimalist living room painted in Breakwater

@mybudgetrecipes

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 Breakwater will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Studio Blue Green would.

BreakwaterBreakwater — moody bathroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Studio Blue GreenSW Studio Blue Green bathroom paint

@pudgydovedesigns

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 Breakwater will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Studio Blue Green would.

BreakwaterBreakwater color — mediterranean house inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

Studio Blue GreenSW 0047 house exterior

@amandascacchi

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

Breakwaterscandinavian front door featuring Breakwater by Sherwin-Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Studio Blue GreenStudio blue green door

@contipainting

Color Details

Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams · 9638
Hex#A2A8A6
LRV38.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9638
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Studio Blue Green
Sherwin-Williams · 0047
Hex#6D817B
LRV20.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number0047
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Breakwater vs Studio Blue Green Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Breakwater on one side and Studio Blue Green 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 Breakwater comparisons

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

White Dove
Breakwater
White Dove
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Breakwater
Ammonite
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Breakwater
Iron Ore
Breakwater
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 6, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Breakwater
Purbeck Stone
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Breakwater
Evergreen Fog
Breakwater
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Mizzle
Breakwater
Mizzle
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 52 vs 38, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Agreeable Gray
Breakwater
Agreeable Gray
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Accessible Beige
Breakwater
Accessible Beige
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Breakwater
Denim Drift
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes Breakwater the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
Breakwater
French Gray
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Breakwater
Naval
Breakwater
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Breakwater
Tranquil Dawn
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Breakwater
Bancha
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 13, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Hardwick White
Breakwater
Hardwick White
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

A 5-point LRV gap (44 vs 38) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.

Breakwater
Pure White
Breakwater
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Artichoke
Breakwater
Artichoke
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Breakwater
Balboa Mist
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 66 vs 38, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Breakwater
Shoji White
Breakwater
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 74 vs 38, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Breakwater
Snowbound
Breakwater
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 38, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Breakwater
Pewter Green
Breakwater
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 12, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Breakwater
Skimming Stone
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 68 vs 38, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Breakwater
Dix Blue
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

With LRVs of 41 and 38, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Calamine
Breakwater
Calamine
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.

Treron
Breakwater
Treron
Breakwater
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Vintage Vogue
Breakwater
Vintage Vogue
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

At LRV 38 vs 12, Breakwater is decisively the brighter choice.

Saybrook Sage
Breakwater
Saybrook Sage
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.

Pale Green
Breakwater
Pale Green
Breakwater
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Pine Needle
Breakwater
Pine Needle
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Breakwater
Cement grey
Breakwater
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Breakwater reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Guilford Green
Breakwater
Guilford Green
Breakwater
Sherwin-Williams
Breakwater
9638 · LRV 38

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 38), opening up a space where Breakwater encloses it.