Gulf Waters
MQ4-52 · #20A4BF · LRV 31 — cool blue-green tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Salamander6
- 2Hidden Gem14
- 3Gulf Waters31
- 4Green Meets Blue36
- 5Wythe Blue48
What Color Is Gulf Waters, Really?
Gulf Waters reads as a cool blue-green tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Behr MQ4-52 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Gulf Waters
Gulf Waters is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Teals add character without shouting — good for a vanity, an island or a feature wall.
How Lighting Changes Gulf Waters
Gulf Waters sits in the mid-range at LRV 31, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its teal 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.
Most complaints about Gulf Waters 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.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr MQ4-52 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.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Jamaica BaySW 6781 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.5 | 30 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Dream I Can Fly769 · Benjamin Moore | 2.4 | 31 | Color page → |
| Valspar | The Crowd Roars!8001-38E · Valspar | 1.6 | 33 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Jamaican SeaPPG1236-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.4 | 31 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Jamaican SeaPPG1236-6 · Glidden | 2.0 | 31 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Turquoise Waters134-6DB · Dutch Boy | 3.6 | 32 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Gulf Waters within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
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 #20A4BF in HSL space. Pair Gulf Waters with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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