Poolhouse vs Upward
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Poolhouse reads as blue-grey, while Upward reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Upward (LRV 57) reflects noticeably more light than Poolhouse (LRV 29), a difference of 29 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. With a ΔE of 20.5, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Poolhouse vs Upward in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Poolhouse and Upward 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. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Poolhouse.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Poolhouse.
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. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Poolhouse.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Poolhouse.
Color Details
Poolhouse vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Poolhouse on one side and Upward 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 Poolhouse comparisons
See how Poolhouse stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 29, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 29), opening up a space where Poolhouse encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 29, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 29), opening up a space where Poolhouse encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 29, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 29 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 29), opening up a space where Poolhouse encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 29, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 29, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 29), opening up a space where Poolhouse encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 29, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 29, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 12, Poolhouse is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 29, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 12, Poolhouse is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 29, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 31 and 29, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Poolhouse reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Poolhouse reads slightly lighter (LRV 29 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 29), opening up a space where Poolhouse encloses it.