Glimmer vs Reflecting Pool
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Glimmer reads as green-white, while Reflecting Pool reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Glimmer (LRV 78) reflects noticeably more light than Reflecting Pool (LRV 39), a difference of 40 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 27.5, 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.
Glimmer vs Reflecting Pool in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Glimmer and Reflecting Pool 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 Glimmer will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Reflecting Pool 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. Glimmer reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Reflecting Pool.
Color Details
Glimmer vs Reflecting Pool Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Glimmer on one side and Reflecting Pool 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.