Helium
M480-1 · #E0F0F0 · LRV 84 — cool blue-green tone, very light — near-white, broadens small spaces.
- 1First Star69
- 2Classic Gray74
- 3Helium84
- 4Chantilly Lace91
- 5Ultra Pure White97
What Color Is Helium, Really?
Helium reads as a cool blue-green tone — very light — near-white, broadens small spaces. The notes below cover how Behr M480-1 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Helium
Helium shines on ceilings, trim and in small or low-light rooms where you need to stretch the light — and as a calm whole-home backdrop. As a white, it's a natural for trim, ceilings and cabinets, and a clean backdrop for art.
How Lighting Changes Helium
Helium is very light — LRV 84, close to white. It opens up small or dim rooms and keeps walls feeling airy. 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. In north light it can read slightly cooler; a warm white trim alongside keeps it from going clinical.
Most complaints about Helium 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 M480-1 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 | Faraway BlueSW 7133 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.7 | 84 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Icing on the Cake2049-70 · Benjamin Moore | 2.2 | 84 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Fluffy Slippers7004-5 · Valspar | 2.7 | 83.4 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Aqua TintPPG1234-1 · PPG / Glidden | 1.9 | 85 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Free SpiritPPG1233-1 · Glidden | 0.7 | 83 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Raindrops138-1DB · Dutch Boy | 2.5 | 82 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Helium 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 #E0F0F0 in HSL space. Pair Helium with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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