Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Blueprint |
| SKU | S470-5 |
| Hex | #5A7A8C |
| RGB | 90, 122, 140 |
| HSL | 202°, 22%, 45% |
| LRV | 19 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
What Color Is Blueprint, Really?
Blueprint (S470-5) is Behr's muted, denim-like mid-dark blue. The numbers tell the story: its hue sits at 202 degrees, right in true-blue territory with a faint drift toward blue-gray, and its saturation of 22 percent means the color is softened with gray rather than vivid. At 45 percent lightness and an LRV of 19, it reads as a genuinely dark wall color in most rooms, not a pastel or a mid-tone.
Behr named Blueprint its 2019 Color of the Year, and it helped push the wave of muted, workwear-inspired blues that followed. It became popular because it delivers the depth of navy without navy's formality; it feels closer to a favorite pair of faded jeans.
Blueprint suits people who want real color commitment without drama. It works in traditional homes, coastal-leaning interiors, and modern spaces alike, as long as the room gets decent light or you are deliberately going moody.
Blueprint has a cool blue undertone through and through. With a hue of 202 degrees it leans very slightly toward the gray-teal side of blue rather than toward purple, which is why it reads relaxed instead of preppy. At 22 percent saturation it is clearly a blue, not a near-neutral, but it is a heavily muted one; there is enough gray mixed in that it never looks primary or juvenile.
The gray softening shows most in dim light and on shaded walls, where Blueprint can flatten toward slate. In bright daylight the blue steps forward and the color looks fresher and more saturated than the swatch suggests.
Test it against your fixed elements. Next to warm beige tile or honey oak, the cool cast intensifies and the contrast is strong. Next to crisp white trim such as Ultra Pure White (1850), it looks clean and balanced. Paint a large sample and check it against flooring, countertops, and any existing blues in the room.
Best Rooms and Uses for Blueprint
At LRV 19, Blueprint sits at the dark end of versatile. It can cover all four walls, but only in rooms with strong daylight or where you want an enveloping effect: bedrooms, dens, dining rooms, and home offices are its natural territory. In small, dim rooms it closes the space in fast, so treat that as a deliberate choice, not a default.
It is a strong accent color. One Blueprint wall behind a bed or a media unit adds weight without committing the whole room. It performs especially well on kitchen and bathroom cabinets, where its muted depth hides fingerprints better than a bright color and pairs cleanly with brass or matte black hardware.
Outside, Blueprint makes a handsome front door against a white or greige body, and it holds up as a full exterior body color on farmhouse and coastal-style homes with white trim. Skip it for trim itself; it is too dark to frame most wall colors.
How Lighting Changes Blueprint
With an LRV of 19, Blueprint reflects roughly a fifth of the light that hits it, so lighting decides whether it feels rich or heavy. In a north-facing room, the cool gray light pushes it toward a stormier slate blue; it can work beautifully for a moody study, but a whole north-facing living room in Blueprint will feel dark by afternoon. South-facing rooms are its best case: steady warm daylight keeps the blue lively all day and softens the gray.
East-facing rooms see it brighter and cooler in the morning, then duskier after noon. West-facing rooms run the opposite way, with the color warming noticeably at golden hour.
Bulb choice matters as much as exposure. Warm bulbs around 2700K take the chill off and make Blueprint feel cozy at night; cool bulbs at 4000K and above exaggerate the gray and can turn it steely. If the room has limited daylight, plan on warm artificial light and plenty of it.
Most complaints about Blueprint are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Blueprint vs Similar Colors
Behr's own deck has several near-twins. Cotton Denim (HDC-FL14-11) matches Blueprint's LRV of 19 almost exactly and shifts just a touch grayer and less saturated; on a wall the two are close enough that most people could not tell them apart, so choose whichever is easier to buy in your line.
Ocean Shadow (PMD-65) is a step darker at LRV 17 and drifts slightly toward teal. In a bright south-facing room the difference nearly disappears, but in dim light Ocean Shadow reads noticeably moodier. Pick it when you want a heavier, more enveloping version of the same idea; pick Blueprint when the room needs every bit of reflected light.
Catalina Coast (PPU13-03) also sits at LRV 17 with a similar soft teal lean. It favors coastal schemes with sandy neutrals like Coastal Beige (MQ3-22), while Blueprint stays truer to a classic denim blue that partners just as easily with grays as with beiges.
Colors That Go With Blueprint
For trim and ceilings, Ultra Pure White (1850) is the simplest partner. At LRV 92 it gives Blueprint a crisp, clean edge that suits coastal and modern rooms. If that contrast feels too sharp, Swiss Coffee (12), a warm off-white at LRV 80, softens the pairing and keeps a dark room from feeling stark.
As a second wall color for adjoining spaces, Dolphin Fin (PPU18-15) is a reliable choice. This LRV 47 greige bridges Blueprint's coolness and warmer furnishings, so hallways and open-plan areas flow naturally into the blue room.
For accents, Back to Nature (S340-4), a muted sage green at LRV 38, gives a natural, layered scheme that echoes the blue's softness. If you want deeper contrast, Dark Navy (PPU14-20) at LRV 5 works on a front door or an island beside Blueprint walls. Warm woods like walnut and oak, plus brass or aged bronze metals, keep the overall palette from running cold.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr S470-5 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Blueprint 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 #5A7A8C in HSL space. Pair Blueprint 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Behr Blueprint warm or cool?
Blueprint is a cool color. Its hue measures 202 degrees, which is true blue with a slight gray-teal drift, and there is no red or yellow warmth in it. That said, its 22 percent saturation mutes the blue considerably, so it feels relaxed rather than icy, especially under warm 2700K bulbs or next to wood tones.
What trim white goes with Behr Blueprint?
Behr Ultra Pure White (1850) is the safest trim pairing. With an LRV of 92 against Blueprint's 19, it creates clean, high contrast that keeps the blue looking crisp. If you prefer a softer, warmer edge, Swiss Coffee (12) at LRV 80 gives a gentler transition that suits traditional and farmhouse rooms.
Does Behr Blueprint work on kitchen cabinets?
Yes, cabinets are one of Blueprint's best uses. Its muted, mid-dark depth hides smudges and wear better than bright colors, and it pairs well with brass, matte black, or nickel hardware. Keep the walls light, for example Ultra Pure White (1850) or Swiss Coffee (12), so the kitchen stays bright overall.
What does Blueprint's LRV of 19 mean in practice?
LRV runs from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white), and 19 means Blueprint reflects only about a fifth of the light that hits it. In practice it behaves like a dark color: it absorbs light, makes rooms feel smaller and cozier, and needs strong daylight or generous warm lighting to stay lively rather than heavy.
How is Behr Blueprint different from Behr Cotton Denim?
They are extremely close. Cotton Denim (HDC-FL14-11) shares Blueprint's LRV of 19 and sits a hair grayer and slightly less saturated. On a full wall the difference is barely visible. Blueprint is the better-known choice because it was Behr's 2019 Color of the Year, so it is easier to find coordinating palettes and photos of real rooms.
Should I sample Behr Blueprint before painting?
Yes. A dark, muted blue like Blueprint shifts noticeably between exposures, reading slate gray in north light and brighter blue in south light. Paint at least a two-foot square sample, or use a large peel-and-stick swatch, on two different walls. Look at it in morning light, afternoon light, and under your evening bulbs before committing.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Blueprint behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY BLUEPRINT ON YOUR ROOM →
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