Buoyant Blue vs Thistle
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Buoyant Blue reads as blue-green, while Thistle reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Buoyant Blue (LRV 80) reflects noticeably more light than Thistle (LRV 30), a difference of 50 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 35.8, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Buoyant Blue vs Thistle in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Buoyant Blue and Thistle 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 Buoyant Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thistle would.
Color Details
Buoyant Blue vs Thistle Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Buoyant Blue on one side and Thistle 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.