Hinting Blue vs North Star
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Hinting Blue belongs to the blue family and North Star to the blue-grey family. At LRV 68 vs 62, Hinting Blue will read as the brighter of the two — a 5-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a cool quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 3.5, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Hinting Blue vs North Star in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Hinting Blue and North Star are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Hinting Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Hinting Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Hinting Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The brightness difference is modest but present — Hinting Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Hinting Blue vs North Star Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hinting Blue on one side and North Star 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.