Heartthrob vs Surf Green
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Heartthrob reads as pink-red, while Surf Green reads as blue-green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Surf Green (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Heartthrob (LRV 11), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Heartthrob runs warm while Surf Green is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 72.5, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Heartthrob vs Surf Green in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Heartthrob and Surf Green in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Surf Green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Heartthrob would.
Color Details
Heartthrob vs Surf Green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Heartthrob on one side and Surf Green 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.