Smoky Azurite vs Smoky Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Smoky Azurite (LRV 25) reflects noticeably more light than Smoky Blue (LRV 15), a difference of 10 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 12.5, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoky Azurite vs Smoky Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoky Azurite and Smoky Blue in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Smoky Azurite will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Smoky Blue would.
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. Smoky Azurite reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoky Blue.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Smoky Azurite reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoky Blue.
Color Details
Smoky Azurite vs Smoky Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoky Azurite on one side and Smoky 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 Smoky Azurite comparisons
See how Smoky Azurite stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
