Upward vs Wondrous Blue
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. With LRVs of 57 and 59, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. They share a cool quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 6.0, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Upward vs Wondrous Blue in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Upward and Wondrous Blue are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Color Details
Upward vs Wondrous Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Upward on one side and Wondrous 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 Upward comparisons
See how Upward stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 57), opening up a space where Upward encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (57 vs 52) makes Upward the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 30, Upward is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 57), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 58 and 57, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Upward reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 57 vs 43, Upward is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 57 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Upward reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 57, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 57), opening up a space where Upward encloses it.
Upward reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Upward reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Upward reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Upward reads slightly lighter (LRV 57 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 57 vs 31, Upward is decisively the brighter choice.