Gulfstream vs Naval
Gulfstream and Naval come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 14-point LRV gap — 18 for Gulfstream vs 4 for Naval — means Gulfstream will open up a space more effectively. Both share a cool character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 36.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Gulfstream vs Naval in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gulfstream and Naval 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Gulfstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Gulfstream returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Gulfstream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Gulfstream returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Gulfstream vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gulfstream on one side and Naval 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 Gulfstream comparisons
See how Gulfstream stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 18, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 18 vs 6, Gulfstream is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 18, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 18, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (27 vs 18) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 18, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (18 vs 13) makes Gulfstream the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 18, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 18, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 18, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 18, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Gulfstream the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (18 vs 8) makes Gulfstream the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 18, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Gulfstream the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 18, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 18), opening up a space where Gulfstream encloses it.
Gulfstream reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.