Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Midnight Blue |
| SKU | 1638 |
| Hex | #494E52 |
| RGB | 73, 78, 82 |
| HSL | 207°, 6%, 30% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Benjamin Moore Midnight Blue
At LRV 8, Midnight 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. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Midnight 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. 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
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
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Midnight 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 #494E52 in HSL space. Pair Midnight 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 Midnight Blue Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Midnight 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 1638 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Perle Noir (SW 9154) at ΔE 4.19 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Perle Noir swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Midnight Blue
At Behr, the closest color to Midnight Blue is Poppy Seed (PPU15-20) — very close at ΔE 2.11, 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 Poppy Seed swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Valspar's nearest match is Hematite (4006-2C), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.7). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Midnight Blue without repainting risk. See the full Hematite swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Midnight Blue
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Witchcraft (PPG1037-7), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.14). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Midnight Blue without repainting risk. See the full Witchcraft swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Midnight Blue
The closest Glidden equivalent of Midnight Blue is Witchcraft (PPG1037-7). At ΔE 0.68 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8). If Glidden is your counter, order Witchcraft and you'll get the same color. See the full Witchcraft swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Midnight Blue
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Rock Bottom (HGSW 1501) at ΔE 4.46 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Rock Bottom swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Cover of Night (DE6329), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.91). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Midnight Blue without repainting risk. See the full Cover of Night swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Cottage Grove (JG-161) at ΔE 4.49 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Cottage Grove swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Studio Green (NO. 93) at ΔE 4.91 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Studio Green swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Midnight Blue
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Midnight Blue is Dark River (0494) — very close at ΔE 2.68, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dark River swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Midnight Blue
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Midnight Blue is Vermont Slate (H0149) — very close at ΔE 3.09, 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 Vermont Slate swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Rodda has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Ambiguous Black (R024) at ΔE 3.76 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ambiguous Black swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Midnight Blue
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Andromeda (C2-901) at ΔE 4.17 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Andromeda swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Clare has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Blackest (PNT100-DP-55) at ΔE 3.55 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blackest swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Midnight Blue
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Midnight Blue. The nearest is Lost Highway (LOST HIGHWAY) at ΔE 4.64 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Lost Highway swatch →