Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Portsmouth Bay |
| SKU | QE-52 |
| Hex | #A0ACAE |
| RGB | 160, 172, 174 |
| HSL | 189°, 8%, 65% |
| LRV | 40 |
| Undertone | cool blue-green tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Behr Portsmouth Bay
Portsmouth Bay sits in the mid-range at LRV 40, 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.
Portsmouth Bay is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
17 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
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Portsmouth Bay 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 #A0ACAE in HSL space. Pair Portsmouth Bay 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 Portsmouth Bay Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Portsmouth Bay 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 QE-52 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Breezy (SW 7616), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.17). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Portsmouth Bay without repainting risk. See the full Breezy swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Portsmouth Bay. The nearest is Silver Spring (2120-50) at ΔE 3.56 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 40). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Silver Spring swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
At Valspar, the closest color to Portsmouth Bay is Blue Arrow (5001-3C) — very close at ΔE 2.5, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 39.4 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blue Arrow swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Polaris (PPG10-04), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.27). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Portsmouth Bay without repainting risk. See the full Polaris swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
At Glidden, the closest color to Portsmouth Bay is Winter Sky Grey (70BG 40/050) — very close at ΔE 2.31, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Winter Sky Grey swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Portsmouth Bay is Payphone (434-3DB) — very close at ΔE 2.49, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Payphone swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Portsmouth Bay is Interesting Aqua (HGSW 3305) — very close at ΔE 2.94, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Interesting Aqua swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Marinescape (DEGR77), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.23). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Portsmouth Bay without repainting risk. See the full Marinescape swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
The closest Diamond Vogel equivalent of Portsmouth Bay is Pale Slate (H045). At ΔE 0.29 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue-green undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 38 vs 40). If Diamond Vogel is your counter, order Pale Slate and you'll get the same color. See the full Pale Slate swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
The closest Hirshfield's equivalent of Portsmouth Bay is Citadel Blue (H0045). At ΔE 0.54 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue-green undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 39 vs 40). If Hirshfield's is your counter, order Citadel Blue and you'll get the same color. See the full Citadel Blue swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
At Rodda, the closest color to Portsmouth Bay is Ebb (R092) — very close at ΔE 2.36, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ebb swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Portsmouth Bay. The nearest is Monday Morning (C2-987) at ΔE 4.44 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 40). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Monday Morning swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Portsmouth Bay
Kompozit's nearest match is Beacon Fog (0490), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.08). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 39 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Portsmouth Bay without repainting risk. See the full Beacon Fog swatch →