CP

Behr UpscaleMQ5-13 · #A5AABF · LRV 41

Upscale reads as a cool blue tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the color's details, what Behr MQ5-13 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

BEHR UPSCALE
RGB 165, 170, 191LRV 41

Color spec

BrandBehr
NameUpscale
SKUMQ5-13
Hex#A5AABF
RGB165, 170, 191
HSL228°, 17%, 70%
LRV41
Undertonecool blue tone
FamilyBlue
See Behr Upscale on your own walls — upload a room photo.SEE IT IN YOUR ROOM →

About Behr Upscale

Upscale sits in the mid-range at LRV 41, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its blue 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.

Upscale is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.

Closest matches by brand

11 brands within ΔE 5

The 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 blue from that brand.

Sherwin-Williams

1,947 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.93
All blue at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 9688 · #A8AAB3 · ΔE 4.93 · LRV 40

Benjamin Moore

4,068 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.64
All blue at Benjamin Moore →
1439 · #A0A6B6 · ΔE 2.64 · LRV 39
1412 · #A6A6BD · ΔE 2.74 · LRV 40
CC-970 · #A6A6BD · ΔE 2.74 · LRV 39
2118-50 · #A9ABB6 · ΔE 4.05 · LRV 41

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.92
All blue at Valspar →
8003-47C · #A3ABC5 · ΔE 1.92 · LRV 41
8003-48C · #ACAEC4 · ΔE 2.03 · LRV 43
4002-7C · #A6ABC6 · ΔE 2.25 · LRV 41.5

PPG / Glidden

2,132 colors in deck · best ΔE 0
All blue at PPG / Glidden →
PPG1168-4 · #A5AABF · ΔE 0 · LRV 41
PPG1165-4 · #A5B0C4 · ΔE 3.25 · LRV 43

Glidden

3,101 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.16
All blue at Glidden →
30RB 59/088 · #A4ABBF · ΔE 1.16 · LRV 59
10BB 40/090 · #9FABBA · ΔE 4.94 · LRV 40

Dutch Boy

1,340 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.64
All blue at Dutch Boy →
141-4DB · #9DACCC · ΔE 4.64 · LRV 41

Dunn-Edwards

2,298 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.92
All blue at Dunn-Edwards →
DE5899 · #99A8C9 · ΔE 4.92 · LRV 13

Diamond Vogel

1,386 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.5
All blue at Diamond Vogel →
1282 · #A7A5BB · ΔE 3.5 · LRV 39

Hirshfield's

1,469 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.74
All blue at Hirshfield's →
1317 · #AEAFB9 · ΔE 4.74 · LRV 45

C2 Paint

580 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.43
All blue at C2 Paint →
BD11 · #A5A3B0 · ΔE 4.43 · LRV 37
BD12 · #9CA9BA · ΔE 4.72 · LRV 39

Kompozit

1,321 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.74
All blue at Kompozit →
1317 · #AEAFB9 · ΔE 4.74 · LRV 43

Similar Behr colors

closest in the Behr deck

The nearest shades to Upscale within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

ICC-55 · LRV 42
N550-4 · LRV 39
MQ5-17 · LRV 40
ICC-98 · LRV 42
T12-3 · LRV 38
PPU15-11 · LRV 38

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #A5AABF in HSL space. Pair Upscale with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#A5AABF + #BFBAA5
TRIADIC
#A5AABF · #BFA5AA · #AABFA5
ANALOGOUS
#A5B7BF · #A5AABF · #ADA5BF

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
2.31:1fail
Sample text on black
9.1:1AAA

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

Behr Upscale Equivalents at Other Brands

Matching Upscale 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 MQ5-13 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.

Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Upscale

Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Upscale. The nearest is Modern Lavender (SW 9688) at ΔE 4.93 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 41). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Modern Lavender swatch →

Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Upscale

At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Upscale is Central Mauve (1412) — very close at ΔE 2.74, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 41) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Central Mauve swatch →

Valspar Equivalent of Upscale

Valspar's nearest match is Bonnie Blue (8003-47C), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.92). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 41) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Upscale without repainting risk. See the full Bonnie Blue swatch →

PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Upscale

The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Upscale is Lilac Time (PPG1168-4). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 41). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Lilac Time and you'll get the same color. See the full Lilac Time swatch →

Glidden Equivalent of Upscale

Glidden's nearest match is Lilac Time (30RB 59/088), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.16). It runs noticeably lighter (LRV 59 vs 41) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Upscale without repainting risk. See the full Lilac Time swatch →

Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Upscale

Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Upscale. The nearest is Butterfly Bush (1282) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 39 vs 41). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Butterfly Bush swatch →

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