Mariner vs Reflecting Pool
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. At LRV 46 vs 39, Mariner will read as the brighter of the two — a 7-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 9.4, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Mariner vs Reflecting Pool in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Mariner and Reflecting Pool 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
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 — Mariner gives the walls a little more lift.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Mariner has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Mariner vs Reflecting Pool Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mariner on one side and Reflecting Pool 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 Mariner comparisons
See how Mariner stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 46, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Mariner reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 46), opening up a space where Mariner encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (58 vs 46) makes Accessible Beige the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 46 vs 27, Mariner is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 46 and 43, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 9-point LRV gap (55 vs 46) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 44), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 46), opening up a space where Mariner encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 46, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 46, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 12, Mariner is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 46, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 12, Mariner is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 45), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Mariner reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Mariner reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Mariner reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 57 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.