Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Cold Steel |
| SKU | MQ5-20 |
| Hex | #7D8C96 |
| RGB | 125, 140, 150 |
| HSL | 204°, 11%, 54% |
| LRV | 25 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Behr Cold Steel
Cold Steel 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.
Cold Steel 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
17 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
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Portola Paints
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Cold Steel 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 #7D8C96 in HSL space. Pair Cold Steel 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 Cold Steel Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Cold Steel 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 MQ5-20 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Cold Steel
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Cold Steel is Bracing Blue (SW 6242) — very close at ΔE 2.51, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bracing Blue swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Cold Steel
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Cold Steel is Wild Blue Yonder (CSP-620) — very close at ΔE 2.11, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Wild Blue Yonder swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Cold Steel
Valspar's nearest match is Wet Seal (T681), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.94). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25.3 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Cold Steel without repainting risk. See the full Wet Seal swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Cold Steel
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Cold Steel is Superhero Gray (PPG0993-5) — very close at ΔE 2.79, 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 Superhero Gray swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Cold Steel
Glidden's nearest match is Night Sky Grey (90BG 25/079), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.66). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Cold Steel without repainting risk. See the full Night Sky Grey swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Cold Steel
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Cold Steel. The nearest is Streamed Blue (335-5DB) at ΔE 4.53 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Streamed Blue swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Cold Steel
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Cold Steel is Bracing Blue (HGSW 3353) — very close at ΔE 2.51, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bracing Blue swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Cold Steel
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Cold Steel. The nearest is Deep Rock (JG-95) at ΔE 3.68 — 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 Deep Rock swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Cold Steel
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Selvedge (NO. 306), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.92). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Cold Steel without repainting risk. See the full Selvedge swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Cold Steel
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Cold Steel. The nearest is London Road (0527) at ΔE 4.36 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full London Road swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Cold Steel
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Cold Steel. The nearest is Smoky Day (0491) at ΔE 4.32 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 28 vs 25). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Smoky Day swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Cold Steel
Rodda has no exact twin of Cold Steel. The nearest is Steel (CA194) at ΔE 4.42 — 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 Steel swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Cold Steel
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Cold Steel is Ravine (C2-731) — very close at ΔE 2.92, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 25) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ravine swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Cold Steel
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Cold Steel is Cyclone (CYCLONE) — very close at ΔE 3.07, 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 Cyclone swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Cold Steel
Backdrop's nearest match is Polly Wants (BD-PW), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.54). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 25) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Cold Steel without repainting risk. See the full Polly Wants swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Cold Steel
Kompozit has no exact twin of Cold Steel. The nearest is Smoky Day (0491) at ΔE 4.32 — 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 Smoky Day swatch →