Curio Gray vs Soulful Blue
Curio Gray and Soulful Blue come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Curio Gray belongs to the greige-grey family and Soulful Blue to the blue-grey family. The 6-point LRV gap — 26 for Curio Gray vs 20 for Soulful Blue — means Curio Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where Curio Gray leans warm, Soulful Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 24.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Curio Gray vs Soulful Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Curio Gray and Soulful Blue in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Curio Gray has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Curio Gray has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Curio Gray has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Curio Gray vs Soulful Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Curio Gray on one side and Soulful Blue 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 Curio Gray comparisons
See how Curio Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 6, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 26, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Curio Gray reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 13, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Curio Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 26, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Curio Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Curio Gray reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 26), opening up a space where Curio Gray encloses it.