Santa Monica Blue
776 · #3A6E8C · LRV 16 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Anchors Aweigh3
- 2Hale Navy8
- 3Santa Monica Blue16
- 4Wolf Gray21
- 5Resolute Blue40
What Color Is Santa Monica Blue, Really?
Santa Monica Blue reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 776 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Santa Monica Blue
Santa Monica Blue works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Santa Monica Blue
With an LRV of 16, Santa Monica Blue is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Santa Monica Blue are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Benjamin Moore 776 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Down PourSW 6516 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.8 | 15 | Color page → |
| Behr | Living StreamM490-6 · Behr | 1.6 | 14 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Cottage by the SeaV069-5 · Valspar | 2.4 | 13.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Blue OasisPPG1158-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.1 | 14 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Blue OasisPPG1158-6 · Glidden | 2.3 | 14 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Rain Shower Blue236-6DB · Dutch Boy | 2.7 | 14 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Santa Monica 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.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #3A6E8C in HSL space. Pair Santa Monica Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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