Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Basic Blue |
| SKU | CC-968 |
| Hex | #3F457D |
| RGB | 63, 69, 125 |
| HSL | 234°, 33%, 37% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Benjamin Moore Basic Blue
At LRV 8, Basic Blue is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Basic Blue earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
Closest matches by brand
11 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 blue from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Kompozit
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Basic Blue within Benjamin Moore'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 #3F457D in HSL space. Pair Basic Blue 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.
Benjamin Moore Basic Blue Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Basic Blue 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 Benjamin Moore CC-968 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Basic Blue
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Basic Blue is Morning Glory (SW 6971) — very close at ΔE 3.07, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Morning Glory swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Basic Blue
At Behr, the closest color to Basic Blue is Expressionism (MQ5-49) — very close at ΔE 2.04, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Expressionism swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Basic Blue
Valspar's nearest match is Merlin's Robes (8001-47G), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.55). It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Basic Blue without repainting risk. See the full Merlin's Robes swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Basic Blue
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Basic Blue is Daring Indigo (PPG1166-7) — very close at ΔE 3.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Daring Indigo swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Basic Blue
At Glidden, the closest color to Basic Blue is Daring Indigo (PPG1166-7) — very close at ΔE 3.46, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Daring Indigo swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Basic Blue
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Basic Blue is Rich Indigo (141-7DB) — very close at ΔE 3.07, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Rich Indigo swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Basic Blue
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Basic Blue is Quark (HGSW 1401) — very close at ΔE 2.49, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Quark swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Basic Blue
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Cobalt (DEA140), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.03). It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Basic Blue without repainting risk. See the full Cobalt swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Basic Blue
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Frozen Blue (0606), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.12). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Basic Blue without repainting risk. See the full Frozen Blue swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Basic Blue
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Basic Blue is Hot Sauna (1271) — very close at ΔE 2.45, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Hot Sauna swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Basic Blue
At Kompozit, the closest color to Basic Blue is Hot Sauna (1271) — very close at ΔE 2.45, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Hot Sauna swatch →