Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Old Amethyst |
| SKU | MQ5-03 |
| Hex | #87868F |
| RGB | 135, 134, 143 |
| HSL | 247°, 4%, 54% |
| LRV | 24 |
| Undertone | neutral with no strong undertone |
| Family | Gray |
About Behr Old Amethyst
With an LRV of 24, Old Amethyst is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Old Amethyst works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
16 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Old Amethyst 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 #87868F in HSL space. Pair Old Amethyst 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.
Behr Old Amethyst Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Old Amethyst from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Behr MQ5-03 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Old Amethyst
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Old Amethyst is Gris Morado (SW 9156) — very close at ΔE 2.66, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 24) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gris Morado swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Old Amethyst
Valspar's nearest match is Horseshoe (8004-48E), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.9). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 24) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Old Amethyst without repainting risk. See the full Horseshoe swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Old Amethyst
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Old Amethyst is Victorian Pewter (PPG1013-5) — very close at ΔE 2.74, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 24) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Victorian Pewter swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Old Amethyst
At Glidden, the closest color to Old Amethyst is Silversmith Grey (30BB 26/025) — very close at ΔE 3.06, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 24) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Silversmith Grey swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Old Amethyst
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Dusked Purple (343-5DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.61). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 24) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Old Amethyst without repainting risk. See the full Dusked Purple swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Old Amethyst
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Old Amethyst is Great Greige (HGSW 3394) — very close at ΔE 2.66, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 24) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Great Greige swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Old Amethyst
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Old Amethyst. The nearest is Stone Gray (DEGR59) at ΔE 4.49 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 24). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Stone Gray swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Old Amethyst
At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Old Amethyst is Pashmina Plum (JG-100) — very close at ΔE 3.37, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 24) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pashmina Plum swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Old Amethyst
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Old Amethyst. The nearest is Brassica (NO. 271) at ΔE 4.31 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 24). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Brassica swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Old Amethyst
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Old Amethyst is Slate Tint (0520) — very close at ΔE 2.63, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 24) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Slate Tint swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Old Amethyst
Rodda has no exact twin of Old Amethyst. The nearest is Evening Traveller (R015) at ΔE 3.75 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 24). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Evening Traveller swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Old Amethyst
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Old Amethyst. The nearest is Nightcap (C2-779) at ΔE 3.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 24). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Nightcap swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Old Amethyst
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Old Amethyst. The nearest is Voodoo (VOODOO) at ΔE 4.43 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 24). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Voodoo swatch →