Rookwood Clay vs Soulful Blue paint color comparison

Rookwood Clay vs Soulful Blue

Rookwood Clay and Soulful Blue come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Rookwood Clay reads as beige-greige, while Soulful Blue reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 23 vs 20 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Rookwood Clay leans warm, Soulful Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 30.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Rookwood Clay vs Soulful Blue in Real Spaces

1 real room side by side. Seeing Rookwood Clay 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.

Bathroom

Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Soulful Blue reads more restrained here, while Rookwood Clay adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.

Rookwood ClaySherwin Williams Rookwood Clay bathroom color

@portrait.magazine.usa

Soulful BlueSherwin Williams Soulful Blue bathroom color review

@farmfieldtoforeverhome

Color Details

Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams · 2823
Hex#9A7E64
LRV22.7
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number2823
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Soulful Blue
Sherwin-Williams · 6543
Hex#757C91
LRV20.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6543
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Rookwood Clay vs Soulful Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Rookwood Clay on one side and Soulful 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 Rookwood Clay comparisons

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

White Dove
Rookwood Clay
White Dove
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 83 vs 23, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Rookwood Clay
Ammonite
Rookwood Clay
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Iron Ore
Rookwood Clay
Iron Ore
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 23 vs 6, Rookwood Clay is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Rookwood Clay
Purbeck Stone
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Evergreen Fog
Rookwood Clay
Evergreen Fog
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 23), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Mizzle
Rookwood Clay
Mizzle
Rookwood Clay
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 52 vs 23, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Agreeable Gray
Rookwood Clay
Agreeable Gray
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Accessible Beige
Rookwood Clay
Accessible Beige
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 58 vs 23, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Rookwood Clay
Denim Drift
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

A 4-point LRV gap (27 vs 23) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
Rookwood Clay
French Gray
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Naval
Rookwood Clay
Naval
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Rookwood Clay reflects far more light (LRV 23 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Rookwood Clay
Tranquil Dawn
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 55 vs 23, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Rookwood Clay
Bancha
Rookwood Clay
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

A 9-point LRV gap (23 vs 13) makes Rookwood Clay the marginally brighter of the two.

Hardwick White
Rookwood Clay
Hardwick White
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 44 vs 23, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Pure White
Rookwood Clay
Pure White
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Artichoke
Rookwood Clay
Artichoke
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

With LRVs of 23 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa Mist
Rookwood Clay
Balboa Mist
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 66 vs 23, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Rookwood Clay
Shoji White
Rookwood Clay
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 74 vs 23, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Rookwood Clay
Snowbound
Rookwood Clay
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 23, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Pewter Green
Rookwood Clay
Pewter Green
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

A 11-point LRV gap (23 vs 12) makes Rookwood Clay the marginally brighter of the two.

Skimming Stone
Rookwood Clay
Skimming Stone
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 68 vs 23, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Rookwood Clay
Dix Blue
Rookwood Clay
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Calamine
Rookwood Clay
Calamine
Rookwood Clay
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.

Treron
Rookwood Clay
Treron
Rookwood Clay
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

With LRVs of 25 and 23, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Vintage Vogue
Rookwood Clay
Vintage Vogue
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

A 11-point LRV gap (23 vs 12) makes Rookwood Clay the marginally brighter of the two.

Saybrook Sage
Rookwood Clay
Saybrook Sage
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

At LRV 45 vs 23, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Pale Green
Rookwood Clay
Pale Green
Rookwood Clay
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 23), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Pine Needle
Rookwood Clay
Pine Needle
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Rookwood Clay reflects far more light (LRV 23 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Rookwood Clay
Cement grey
Rookwood Clay
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

With LRVs of 24 and 23, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Guilford Green
Rookwood Clay
Guilford Green
Rookwood Clay
Sherwin-Williams
Rookwood Clay
2823 · LRV 23

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 23), opening up a space where Rookwood Clay encloses it.