Pussywillow vs Soulful Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Pussywillow reads as greige-grey, while Soulful Blue reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Pussywillow (LRV 42) reflects noticeably more light than Soulful Blue (LRV 20), a difference of 22 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Pussywillow 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 25.7, 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.
Pussywillow vs Soulful Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Pussywillow 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. Pussywillow reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soulful Blue.
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. Pussywillow reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soulful Blue.
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. Pussywillow reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soulful Blue.
Color Details
Pussywillow vs Soulful Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pussywillow 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.
More Pussywillow comparisons
See how Pussywillow stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 42, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 42), opening up a space where Pussywillow encloses it.
At LRV 42 vs 6, Pussywillow is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 42), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Pussywillow reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (52 vs 42) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 42), opening up a space where Pussywillow encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 42, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 27, Pussywillow is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 42, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Pussywillow reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 42, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 13, Pussywillow is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 42), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 42), opening up a space where Pussywillow encloses it.
Pussywillow reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 42, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 42, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 42, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Pussywillow is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 42, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 42 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 42), opening up a space where Pussywillow encloses it.
Pussywillow reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Pussywillow is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (45 vs 42) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Pussywillow reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Pussywillow reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Pussywillow reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 42), opening up a space where Pussywillow encloses it.