Interesting Aqua vs Languid Blue paint color comparison

Interesting Aqua vs Languid Blue

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Interesting Aqua reads as blue-grey, while Languid Blue reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 45 vs 41, Languid 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Interesting Aqua vs Languid Blue in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Interesting Aqua and Languid Blue 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. Languid Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Interesting AquaSw Interesting Aqua Living Room

@penderandpeony

Languid BlueSW Languid Blue living room color review

@barrs_1970

Dining Room

Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Languid Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Interesting AquaSherwin Williams Interesting Aqua Dining Room

@so.southern.studio

Languid BlueSW Languid Blue dining room paint

@visualpaint1

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The brightness difference is modest but present — Languid Blue gives the walls a little more lift.

Interesting AquaInteresting Aqua Painted Cabinets

@masterstouchdesignbuild

Languid BlueSW 6226 kitchen cabinets color review

@hadleylord

Color Details

Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams · 6220
Hex#9BAFB2
LRV40.8
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6220
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Languid Blue
Sherwin-Williams · 6226
Hex#A4B7BD
LRV45.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6226
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Interesting Aqua vs Languid Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Interesting Aqua on one side and Languid Blue 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 Interesting Aqua comparisons

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

White Dove
Interesting Aqua
White Dove
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Ammonite
Interesting Aqua
Ammonite
Interesting Aqua
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 69 vs 41, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Interesting Aqua
Iron Ore
Interesting Aqua
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Interesting Aqua reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.

Purbeck Stone
Interesting Aqua
Purbeck Stone
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 41) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.

Evergreen Fog
Interesting Aqua
Evergreen Fog
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

A 10-point LRV gap (41 vs 30) makes Interesting Aqua the marginally brighter of the two.

Mizzle
Interesting Aqua
Mizzle
Interesting Aqua
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Agreeable Gray
Interesting Aqua
Agreeable Gray
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 60 vs 41, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Accessible Beige
Interesting Aqua
Accessible Beige
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Denim Drift
Interesting Aqua
Denim Drift
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Interesting Aqua reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.

French Gray
Interesting Aqua
French Gray
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 43 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Interesting Aqua
Naval
Interesting Aqua
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

At LRV 41 vs 4, Interesting Aqua is decisively the brighter choice.

Tranquil Dawn
Interesting Aqua
Tranquil Dawn
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Bancha
Interesting Aqua
Bancha
Interesting Aqua
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Interesting Aqua reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.

Hardwick White
Interesting Aqua
Hardwick White
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

With LRVs of 44 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Interesting Aqua
Pure White
Interesting Aqua
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 84 vs 41, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Artichoke
Interesting Aqua
Artichoke
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 21, Interesting Aqua is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Interesting Aqua
Balboa Mist
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Interesting Aqua
Shoji White
Interesting Aqua
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Interesting Aqua
Snowbound
Interesting Aqua
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Interesting Aqua
Pewter Green
Interesting Aqua
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Interesting Aqua reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.

Skimming Stone
Interesting Aqua
Skimming Stone
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 41), opening up a space where Interesting Aqua encloses it.

Dix Blue
Interesting Aqua
Dix Blue vs Interesting Aqua
Dix Blue
Interesting Aqua
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 41 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Calamine
Interesting Aqua
Calamine
Interesting Aqua
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 68 vs 41, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.

Treron
Interesting Aqua
Treron
Interesting Aqua
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 25, Interesting Aqua is decisively the brighter choice.

Vintage Vogue
Interesting Aqua
Vintage Vogue
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Interesting Aqua reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.

Saybrook Sage
Interesting Aqua
Saybrook Sage
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Pale Green
Interesting Aqua
Pale Green
Interesting Aqua
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

A 10-point LRV gap (41 vs 31) makes Interesting Aqua the marginally brighter of the two.

Pine Needle
Interesting Aqua
Pine Needle
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 7, Interesting Aqua is decisively the brighter choice.

Cement grey
Interesting Aqua
Cement grey
Interesting Aqua
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 24, Interesting Aqua is decisively the brighter choice.

Guilford Green
Interesting Aqua
Guilford Green
Interesting Aqua
Sherwin-Williams
Interesting Aqua
6220 · LRV 41

At LRV 57 vs 41, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.