Bidwell Blue
DET551 · #A9B9B5 · LRV 47 — cool blue-green tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
What Color Is Bidwell Blue, Really?
Bidwell Blue reads as a cool blue-green tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DET551 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Bidwell Blue
Bidwell Blue is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Bidwell Blue
Bidwell Blue sits in the mid-range at LRV 47, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its teal 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.
Most complaints about Bidwell 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 Dunn-Edwards DET551 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 | SilvermistSW 7621 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.2 | 47 | Color page → |
| Behr | Water SurfaceQE-43 · Behr | 1.6 | 47 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Rhine River689 · Benjamin Moore | 2.5 | 47 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Mediterranean DuskM313 · Valspar | 1.7 | 46.5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Blue WillowPPG1145-4 · PPG / Glidden | 1.4 | 47 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Summer Shower Green70GG 45/052 · Glidden | 2.5 | 45 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Bidwell Blue within Dunn-Edwards'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 #A9B9B5 in HSL space. Pair Bidwell Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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