Blue Steel
DE6342 · #535A61 · LRV 10 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Fired Bronze5
- 2Blue Steel10
- 3Kendall Charcoal15
- 4Retreat21
What Color Is Blue Steel, Really?
Blue Steel reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE6342 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Blue Steel
Blue Steel works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Blue Steel
With an LRV of 10, Blue Steel 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 Blue Steel 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 DE6342 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 | Mineral GraySW 2740 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.2 | 9 | Color page → |
| Behr | City RainPPU25-21 · Behr | 2.3 | 10 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Deep SecretCSP-625 · Benjamin Moore | 0.9 | 12 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Dark and Stormy NightM358 · Valspar | 1.9 | 9.1 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Gray FlannelPPG1013-6 · PPG / Glidden | 3.6 | 10 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Gray FlannelPPG1013-6 · Glidden | 3.3 | 10 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Blue Steel 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 #535A61 in HSL space. Pair Blue Steel with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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