Behr Empire Blue#5A90B3 · LRV 25
Empire Blue reads as a blue / cool — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Behr MQ5-56 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Empire Blue |
| SKU | MQ5-56 |
| Hex | #5A90B3 |
| RGB | 90, 144, 179 |
| HSL | 204°, 37%, 53% |
| LRV | 25 |
| Undertone | blue / cool |
| Family | Blue |
About Behr Empire Blue
Empire Blue 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.
Empire Blue is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
Kompozit alternative
The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.
Closest matches at every US brand
9 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all blue from that brand.
PPG / Glidden
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Dunn-Edwards
Sherwin-Williams
Farrow & Ball
Clare
Backdrop
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Empire Blue 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 #5A90B3 in HSL space. Pair Empire Blue 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.