Soulful Blue vs Thunder Gray
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Soulful Blue reads as blue-grey, while Thunder Gray reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Soulful Blue (LRV 20) reflects noticeably more light than Thunder Gray (LRV 9), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Soulful Blue runs cool while Thunder Gray is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 23.8, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Soulful Blue vs Thunder Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Soulful Blue and Thunder Gray 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 Thunder Gray.
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 Thunder Gray.
Color Details
Soulful Blue vs Thunder Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soulful Blue on one side and Thunder Gray 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 Soulful Blue comparisons
See how Soulful Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 60 vs 20, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 20), opening up a space where Soulful Blue encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 20, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 20), opening up a space where Soulful Blue encloses it.