Calico vs Underseas
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Calico belongs to the blue-green family and Underseas to the green-grey family. Calico (LRV 35) reflects noticeably more light than Underseas (LRV 25), a difference of 9 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Calico runs cool while Underseas is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 8.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Calico vs Underseas in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Calico and Underseas 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
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 Calico will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Underseas would.
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. Calico reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Underseas.
Color Details
Calico vs Underseas Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Calico on one side and Underseas 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 Calico comparisons
See how Calico stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
