Color guide · Dunn-Edwards · Blue

Black Pearl

DEA186 · #4A4F5A · LRV 8 · cool blue tone

DEA186 · #4A4F5A · LRV 8 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Black PearlDunn-Edwards · DEA186
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Black Pearl
DUNN-EDWARDS · DEA186 · #4A4F5A
Brand · codeDunn-EdwardsDEA186 · all Dunn-Edwards blues
LRV8Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonecool blue tone
FamilyBlue
Hex · RGB · HSL#4A4F5A · 74, 79, 90 · 221°, 10%, 32%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Anchors Aweigh3
  2. 2Black Pearl8
  3. 3Waterloo13
  4. 4Charcoal Blue19
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Black Pearl, Really?

Black Pearl reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DEA186 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Black Pearl

Black Pearl 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Black Pearl

At LRV 8, Black Pearl 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Black Pearl 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.

Upload a photoPainted in about a minuteFree, no account
Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DEA186 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors

The nearest shades to Black Pearl within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Black Pearl · 2.6 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Black Pearl · 8.2 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #4A4F5A in HSL space. Pair Black Pearl with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#4A4F5A + #5A554A
TRIADIC
#4A4F5A · #5A4A4F · #4F5A4A
ANALOGOUS
#4A575A · #4A4F5A · #4D4A5A

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Jessica Williams

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