Muddled Basil vs Soulful Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Muddled Basil reads as greige-grey, while Soulful Blue reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Soulful Blue (LRV 20) reflects noticeably more light than Muddled Basil (LRV 9), a difference of 12 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Muddled Basil runs warm while Soulful Blue is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 27.9, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Muddled Basil vs Soulful Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Muddled Basil and Soulful Blue in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Soulful Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Muddled Basil.
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. Soulful Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Muddled Basil.
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. Soulful Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Muddled Basil.
Color Details
Muddled Basil vs Soulful Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Muddled Basil on one side and Soulful Blue 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.