Buoyant Blue vs Crystal Clear
Buoyant Blue and Crystal Clear come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Buoyant Blue reads as blue-green, while Crystal Clear reads as green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 80 vs 81 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Both share a cool character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 1.2 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Buoyant Blue vs Crystal Clear in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Buoyant Blue and Crystal Clear 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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Color Details
Buoyant Blue vs Crystal Clear Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Buoyant Blue on one side and Crystal Clear 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.