Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Applause Please |
| SKU | MQ5-12 |
| Hex | #83899A |
| RGB | 131, 137, 154 |
| HSL | 224°, 10%, 56% |
| LRV | 25 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Behr Applause Please
Applause Please sits in the mid-range at LRV 25, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its blue undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Applause Please is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
11 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Applause Please within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #83899A in HSL space. Pair Applause Please with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Behr Applause Please Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Applause Please from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Behr MQ5-12 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Applause Please
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Applause Please is Irises (1440). At ΔE 0.5 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25). If Benjamin Moore is your counter, order Irises and you'll get the same color. See the full Irises swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Applause Please
Valspar has no exact twin of Applause Please. The nearest is Wet Seal (T681) at ΔE 4.46 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25.3 vs 25). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wet Seal swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Applause Please
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Applause Please is Prophetic Sea (PPG1042-5) — very close at ΔE 2.71, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Prophetic Sea swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Applause Please
Glidden's nearest match is Prophetic Sea (PPG1042-5), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.96). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Applause Please without repainting risk. See the full Prophetic Sea swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Applause Please
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Applause Please is Illusionary (340-5DB) — very close at ΔE 2.16, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Illusionary swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Applause Please
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Applause Please. The nearest is Soft Charcoal (DE5935) at ΔE 4.84 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 22 vs 25). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Soft Charcoal swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Applause Please
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Applause Please is Slate Tint (0520) — very close at ΔE 2.95, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 23 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Slate Tint swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Applause Please
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Applause Please. The nearest is Cyclone (CYCLONE) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Cyclone swatch →