Dovetail vs Inky Blue

DovetailSherwin-WilliamsvsInky BlueSherwin-WilliamsΔE 24.5Distinct difference

Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Dovetail reads as grey, while Inky Blue reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Dovetail (LRV 26) reflects noticeably more light than Inky Blue (LRV 15), a difference of 10 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Dovetail runs neutral while Inky Blue is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 24.5, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Dovetail vs Inky Blue in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dovetail and Inky Blue 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 Dovetail will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Inky Blue would.

DovetailDovetail SW 7018 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Inky BlueInky Blue living room picture

@fulmerpaints

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. Dovetail reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Inky Blue.

DovetailDovetail house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Inky BlueSW Inky Blue house exterior paint

@itshowieroll

Color Details

Dovetail
Sherwin-Williams · 7018
Hex#908A83
LRV25.8
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7018
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams · 9149
Hex#4E7287
LRV15.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9149
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Dovetail vs Inky Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dovetail on one side and Inky Blue on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Dovetail comparisons

See how Dovetail stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Dovetail
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Dovetail
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Dovetail
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Dovetail reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Dovetail
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Dovetail
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Dovetail
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Dovetail
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Dovetail
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Dovetail
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Dovetail
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Dovetail
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Dovetail reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Dovetail
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Dovetail
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Dovetail reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Dovetail
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Nearly identical in tone

Black grey
Dovetail
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Dovetail reads noticeably lighter

Piazza
Dovetail
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Dovetail
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Dovetail
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads slightly lighter

Senses
Dovetail
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Dovetail
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Dovetail reads noticeably lighter

Washed Linen
Dovetail
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Dovetail
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Dovetail reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Dovetail
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

Ocean Abyss
Dovetail
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Dovetail reads noticeably lighter

Classic Silver
Dovetail
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Dovetail
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Dovetail
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Dovetail
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Dovetail
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Dovetail
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Dovetail reads slightly lighter