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Blithe Blue SW 9052
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: Saturated blue-green (a color, not a neutral)
In CIELAB, Blithe Blue sits at L* 73.5, a* -14.8, b* -4.9. Its hue angle is 198° and its chroma is 15.6, so it reads as an outright blue-green rather than a neutral. It classifies as cool. Among Sherwin-Williams colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 12%.
LRV 46.0: mid-tone
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 46.0, Blithe Blue is lighter than 57% of Sherwin-Williams colors. Reads clearly as a color. Best in rooms with good natural light, or as an accent wall; small dark rooms may feel smaller.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Blithe Blue
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit in the Sky | 676 | 0.94 | Practically identical | |
| Tranquil Blue | 2051-50 | 1.87 | Very close | |
| Chesapeake Blue | CW-595 | 2.92 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Closest Behr match to Blithe Blue
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color. Behr does not publish LRV, so Behr values here are estimates.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lap Pool Blue | PPU12-06 | 2.69 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Lap Pool Blue | PPU12-6 | 2.69 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Aquifer | MQ6-08 | 2.71 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raindrop | SW 6485 | 2.88 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Reflecting Pool | SW 6486 | 4.17 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Aquaverde | SW 9051 | 4.29 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Festoon Aqua | SW 0019 | 4.57 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Gentle Aquamarine | SW 9046 | 4.59 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Drizzle | SW 6479 | 4.61 | Similar, clearly different |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Aquaverde SW 9051 · lighter, LRV 48.9
- Holiday Turquoise SW 0075 · lighter, LRV 49.4
- After the Rain SW 9047 · lighter, LRV 49.4
- Ebbtide SW 6493 · darker, LRV 41.2
- Vintage Vessel SW 9050 · darker, LRV 40.7
- Open Seas SW 6500 · darker, LRV 39.1
Colors that go with Blithe Blue
Sherwin-Williams's own coordinating colors for Blithe Blue:
- Alabaster SW 7008
- Restrained Gold SW 6129
- Glimmer SW 6476
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Sherwin-Williams color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Appleblossom SW 0076 · complementary (180°)
- Spearmint SW 6465 · analogous (−30°)
- Rest Assured SW 9061 · analogous (+30°)
- Magical SW 6829 · triadic (120°)
- Nomadic Desert SW 6107 · triadic (240°)
Blithe Blue vs popular colors
- Smoke (Benjamin Moore 2122-40, ΔE 10.2) is lighter (LRV 56.4 vs 46.0), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Palladian Blue (Benjamin Moore HC-144, ΔE 10.7) is lighter (LRV 60.4 vs 46.0), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Oyster Bay (Sherwin-Williams SW 6206, ΔE 12.8) is darker (LRV 44.1 vs 46.0), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.