Icy vs Krypton
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Icy belongs to the blue family and Krypton to the blue-grey family. Icy (LRV 56) reflects noticeably more light than Krypton (LRV 52), a difference of 4 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. The ΔE 5.1 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Icy vs Krypton in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Icy and Krypton 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
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 brightness difference is modest but present — Icy gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Icy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Icy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Icy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Icy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Icy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Icy vs Krypton Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Icy on one side and Krypton 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 Icy comparisons
See how Icy stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 56), opening up a space where Icy encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (56 vs 52) makes Icy the marginally brighter of the two.
A 4-point LRV gap (60 vs 56) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 58 and 56, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Icy reflects far more light (LRV 56 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
With LRVs of 56 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Icy reflects far more light (LRV 56 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 56, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 56), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 56), opening up a space where Icy encloses it.
Icy reflects far more light (LRV 56 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 56), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Icy reflects far more light (LRV 56 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Icy reads slightly lighter (LRV 56 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 56 vs 31, Icy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 56 vs 24, Icy is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 57 vs 56), so neither reads brighter in a room.