Inky Blue vs Shoji White

Inky BlueSherwin-WilliamsvsShoji WhiteSherwin-WilliamsΔE 48.9Very different colors

Inky Blue and Shoji White come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Inky Blue reads as blue, while Shoji White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 59-point LRV gap — 74 for Shoji White vs 15 for Inky Blue — means Shoji White will open up a space more effectively. Where Inky Blue leans cool, Shoji White reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 48.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Inky Blue vs Shoji White in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Inky Blue and Shoji White 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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Inky Blue.

Inky BlueInky Blue living room picture

@fulmerpaints

Shoji WhiteShoji White SW 7042 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

House

A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Inky BlueSW Inky Blue house exterior paint

@itshowieroll

Shoji WhiteShoji White house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams · 9149
Hex#4E7287
LRV15.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9149
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams · 7042
Hex#E6DFD3
LRV74.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7042
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Inky Blue vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Inky Blue on one side and Shoji White on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Inky Blue comparisons

See how Inky Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Inky Blue
White Dove
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 83 vs 15, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Inky Blue
Ammonite
Inky Blue
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Inky Blue
Iron Ore
Inky Blue
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

A 10-point LRV gap (15 vs 6) makes Inky Blue the marginally brighter of the two.

Purbeck Stone
Inky Blue
Purbeck Stone
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Evergreen Fog
Inky Blue
Evergreen Fog
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Mizzle
Inky Blue
Mizzle
Inky Blue
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 52 vs 15, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Agreeable Gray
Inky Blue
Agreeable Gray
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Accessible Beige
Inky Blue
Accessible Beige
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 58 vs 15, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Inky Blue
Denim Drift
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

A 12-point LRV gap (27 vs 15) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
Inky Blue
French Gray
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Inky Blue
Naval
Inky Blue
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Inky Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 15 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Tranquil Dawn
Inky Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 55 vs 15, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Inky Blue
Bancha
Inky Blue
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 15 vs 13), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Hardwick White
Inky Blue
Hardwick White
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 44 vs 15, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Inky Blue
Pure White
Inky Blue
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Artichoke
Inky Blue
Artichoke
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 15), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Balboa Mist
Inky Blue
Balboa Mist
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 66 vs 15, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Inky Blue
Snowbound
Inky Blue
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 15, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Inky Blue
Pewter Green
Inky Blue
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

A 4-point LRV gap (15 vs 12) makes Inky Blue the marginally brighter of the two.

Skimming Stone
Inky Blue
Skimming Stone
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 68 vs 15, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Inky Blue
Dix Blue
Inky Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Calamine
Inky Blue
Calamine
Inky Blue
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Treron
Inky Blue
Treron
Inky Blue
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 15), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Vintage Vogue
Inky Blue
Vintage Vogue
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

A 4-point LRV gap (15 vs 12) makes Inky Blue the marginally brighter of the two.

Saybrook Sage
Inky Blue
Saybrook Sage
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

At LRV 45 vs 15, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Pale Green
Inky Blue
Pale Green
Inky Blue
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Pine Needle
Inky Blue
Pine Needle
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Inky Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 15 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Cement grey
Inky Blue
Cement grey
Inky Blue
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 15), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Guilford Green
Inky Blue
Guilford Green
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.

Just Walnut
Inky Blue
Just Walnut
Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams
Inky Blue
9149 · LRV 15

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 15), opening up a space where Inky Blue encloses it.