Color guide · Behr · Blue

Dark Cobalt Blue

PPU15-03 · #32578B · LRV 9 · cool blue tone

PPU15-03 · #32578B · LRV 9 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Dark Cobalt BlueBehr · PPU15-03
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Dark Cobalt Blue
BEHR · PPU15-03 · #32578B
Brand · codeBehrPPU15-03 · all Behr blues
LRV9Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonecool blue tone
FamilyBlue
Hex · RGB · HSL#32578B · 50, 87, 139 · 215°, 47%, 37%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Naval4
  2. 2Dark Cobalt Blue9
  3. 3Smoky Blue15
  4. 4Wolf Gray21
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Dark Cobalt Blue, Really?

Dark Cobalt Blue reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Behr PPU15-03 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Dark Cobalt Blue

Dark Cobalt Blue earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Dark Cobalt Blue

At LRV 9, Dark Cobalt Blue is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Dark Cobalt Blue 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr PPU15-03 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Behr Colors

The nearest shades to Dark Cobalt Blue within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Dark Cobalt Blue · 2.9 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Dark Cobalt Blue · 7.3 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #32578B in HSL space. Pair Dark Cobalt Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#32578B + #8B6632
TRIADIC
#32578B · #8B3257 · #578B32
ANALOGOUS
#32838B · #32578B · #3A328B

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Jessica Williams

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