Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Instinct |
| SKU | AF-575 |
| Hex | #BAC5D0 |
| RGB | 186, 197, 208 |
| HSL | 210°, 19%, 77% |
| LRV | 55 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Benjamin Moore Instinct
At LRV 55, Instinct is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. 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. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Instinct is an easy whole-room color for living spaces and bedrooms, and light enough to carry onto trim or a ceiling if you want a soft, seamless look. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
19 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
Behr
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Rust-Oleum
Kompozit
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Instinct 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 #BAC5D0 in HSL space. Pair Instinct 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 Instinct Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Instinct 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 AF-575 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Instinct
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Instinct is Icy (SW 6534). At ΔE 0.62 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 56 vs 55). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Icy and you'll get the same color. See the full Icy swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Instinct
At Behr, the closest color to Instinct is Best In Show (N550-3) — very close at ΔE 2.14, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Best In Show swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Instinct
At Valspar, the closest color to Instinct is Lighthouse Shadows (4008-3B) — very close at ΔE 2.7, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54.6 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Lighthouse Shadows swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Instinct
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Instinct is Blue Dolphin (PPG1041-4). At ΔE 0.99 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Blue Dolphin and you'll get the same color. See the full Blue Dolphin swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Instinct
The closest Glidden equivalent of Instinct is Blue Dolphin (PPG1041-4). At ΔE 0.8 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55). If Glidden is your counter, order Blue Dolphin and you'll get the same color. See the full Blue Dolphin swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Instinct
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Instinct is Misted Mountain (342-2DB) — very close at ΔE 2.11, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Misted Mountain swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Instinct
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Instinct is Candied Lavender (HGSW 2406) — very close at ΔE 2.11, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Candied Lavender swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Instinct
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Instinct is Bay of Hope (DE6331) — very close at ΔE 2.08, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 53 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bay of Hope swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Instinct
At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Instinct is Cement Pots (JG-93) — very close at ΔE 2.56, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 56 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Cement Pots swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Instinct
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Instinct. The nearest is Hazy (NO. CC6) at ΔE 4.47 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 52 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Hazy swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Instinct
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Instinct is Star Mist (0630) — very close at ΔE 2.93, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Star Mist swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Instinct
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Instinct is Pompeii Ruins (0623) — very close at ΔE 2.5, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 56 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pompeii Ruins swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Instinct
Rodda has no exact twin of Instinct. The nearest is Dream Whisper (R085) at ΔE 3.78 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Dream Whisper swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Instinct
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Instinct. The nearest is Ersatz (C2-735) at ΔE 4.96 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ersatz swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Instinct
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Instinct. The nearest is Pigeon Gray (PIGEON GRAY) at ΔE 3.75 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 56 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Pigeon Gray swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Instinct
At Annie Sloan, the closest color to Instinct is Louis Blue (LOUIS BLUE) — very close at ΔE 2.73, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Louis Blue swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Instinct
At Kompozit, the closest color to Instinct is Pompeii Ruins (0623) — very close at ΔE 2.5, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pompeii Ruins swatch →