Illusion vs Soulful Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Illusion belongs to the greige-grey family and Soulful Blue to the blue-grey family. Illusion (LRV 40) reflects noticeably more light than Soulful Blue (LRV 20), a difference of 19 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Illusion runs warm while Soulful Blue is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 27.1, 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.
Illusion vs Soulful Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Illusion 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.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Illusion reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soulful Blue.
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. Illusion reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soulful Blue.
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. Illusion reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soulful Blue.
Color Details
Illusion vs Soulful Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Illusion on one side and Soulful 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 Illusion comparisons
See how Illusion stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Illusion encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 40, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (40 vs 30) makes Illusion the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 40, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 40), opening up a space where Illusion encloses it.
Illusion reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (43 vs 40) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 40), opening up a space where Illusion encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 40, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 40), opening up a space where Illusion encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 40), opening up a space where Illusion encloses it.
Illusion reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Illusion reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 40), opening up a space where Illusion encloses it.
Illusion reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 8-point LRV gap (40 vs 31) makes Illusion the marginally brighter of the two.