Lichen
MQ6-56 · #B8B391 · LRV 44 — warm yellow tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Anonymous20
- 2Dorian Gray39
- 3Lichen44
- 4Agreeable Gray60
- 5Pale Oak69
What Color Is Lichen, Really?
Lichen reads as a warm yellow tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Behr MQ6-56 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Lichen
Lichen is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
How Lighting Changes Lichen
Lichen sits in the mid-range at LRV 44, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its yellow 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 Lichen 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 MQ6-56 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 | Koi PondSW 7727 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.2 | 44 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Mosaic Tile1517 · Benjamin Moore | 1.7 | 45 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Oakmoss6005-3C · Valspar | 1.4 | 43.5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | EasyPPG1026-3 · PPG / Glidden | 3.1 | 45 | Color page → |
| Glidden | EasyPPG1026-3 · Glidden | 3.1 | 45 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Speckled Shell323-3DB · Dutch Boy | 2.2 | 42 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Lichen 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 #B8B391 in HSL space. Pair Lichen with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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