Crystal Clear vs Refresh
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Crystal Clear belongs to the green family and Refresh to the blue family. Crystal Clear (LRV 81) reflects noticeably more light than Refresh (LRV 59), a difference of 23 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 16.6, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Crystal Clear vs Refresh in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Crystal Clear and Refresh in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Crystal Clear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Refresh.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Crystal Clear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Refresh.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Crystal Clear will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Refresh would.
Color Details
Crystal Clear vs Refresh Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Crystal Clear on one side and Refresh 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 Crystal Clear comparisons
See how Crystal Clear stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 83 vs 81), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 69), opening up a space where Ammonite encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 6, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 52, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 58, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 27, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 55, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 13, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 44, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 84 and 81, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 66, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (81 vs 74) makes Crystal Clear the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 83 vs 81), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 81 vs 12, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 68, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 68), opening up a space where Calamine encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 81 vs 12, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 81 vs 45, Crystal Clear is decisively the brighter choice.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Crystal Clear reflects far more light (LRV 81 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.