Dovetail vs Soulful Blue

Dovetail and Soulful Blue come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Dovetail reads as grey, while Soulful Blue reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 5-point LRV gap — 26 for Dovetail vs 20 for Soulful Blue — means Dovetail will open up a space more effectively. Where Dovetail leans neutral, Soulful Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 17.7 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.

Dovetail vs Soulful Blue in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dovetail 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. Dovetail has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

DovetailBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Dovetail

@mybudgetrecipes

Soulful BlueSw 6543 Nursery

@cgar____

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. Dovetail has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

DovetailGray bathroom in Dovetail by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Soulful BlueSherwin Williams Soulful Blue bathroom color review

@farmfieldtoforeverhome

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. Dovetail has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

DovetailDovetail house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Soulful BlueSw Soulful Blue Exterior

@kerryjfitzpatrick

Color Details

Dovetail
Sherwin-Williams · 7018
Hex#908A83
LRV25.8
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7018
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Soulful Blue
Sherwin-Williams · 6543
Hex#757C91
LRV20.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6543
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Dovetail vs Soulful Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dovetail on one side and Soulful 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