Icicle vs Rarified Air
Icicle and Rarified Air come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Icicle belongs to the blue-grey family and Rarified Air to the blue-white family. The 5-point LRV gap — 78 for Rarified Air vs 73 for Icicle — means Rarified Air will open up a space more effectively. Where Icicle leans neutral, Rarified Air reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 2.5 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Icicle vs Rarified Air in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Icicle and Rarified Air 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.
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. Rarified Air has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Icicle vs Rarified Air Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Icicle on one side and Rarified Air 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 Icicle comparisons
See how Icicle stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 11-point LRV gap (84 vs 73) makes Pure White the marginally brighter of the two.