Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Blue Steel |
| SKU | DE6342 |
| Hex | #535A61 |
| RGB | 83, 90, 97 |
| HSL | 210°, 8%, 35% |
| LRV | 10 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Dunn-Edwards 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.
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.
Closest matches by brand
17 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
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe 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.
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.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Dunn-Edwards Blue Steel Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Blue Steel 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 Dunn-Edwards DE6342 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blue Steel
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Blue Steel is Mineral Gray (SW 2740) — very close at ΔE 3.2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Mineral Gray swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Blue Steel
At Behr, the closest color to Blue Steel is City Rain (PPU25-21) — very close at ΔE 2.25, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full City Rain swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Blue Steel
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Blue Steel is Deep Secret (CSP-625). At ΔE 0.92 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and runs slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 10). If Benjamin Moore is your counter, order Deep Secret and you'll get the same color. See the full Deep Secret swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Blue Steel
Valspar's nearest match is Dark and Stormy Night (M358), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.9). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9.1 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blue Steel without repainting risk. See the full Dark and Stormy Night swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Blue Steel
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Blue Steel. The nearest is Gray Flannel (PPG1013-6) at ΔE 3.57 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Gray Flannel swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Blue Steel
At Glidden, the closest color to Blue Steel is Gray Flannel (PPG1013-6) — very close at ΔE 3.32, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gray Flannel swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Blue Steel
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Gravity (435-7DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.79). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blue Steel without repainting risk. See the full Gravity swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blue Steel
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Blue Steel. The nearest is Peppercorn (HGSW 1491) at ΔE 4.7 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Peppercorn swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Blue Steel
Magnolia Home's nearest match is Coffee Nook (JG-96), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.35). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blue Steel without repainting risk. See the full Coffee Nook swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Blue Steel
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Blue Steel is Beetle Black (NO. G16) — very close at ΔE 3.49, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Beetle Black swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Blue Steel
The closest Hirshfield's equivalent of Blue Steel is Thunderstorm (0514). At ΔE 0.94 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and runs slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 10). If Hirshfield's is your counter, order Thunderstorm and you'll get the same color. See the full Thunderstorm swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Blue Steel
Rodda's nearest match is Indigo Leaves (R096), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.35). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blue Steel without repainting risk. See the full Indigo Leaves swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Blue Steel
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Blue Steel is Sorcerer (C2-758) — very close at ΔE 2.24, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sorcerer swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Blue Steel
Clare's nearest match is Goodnight Moon (PNT100-DP-42), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.8). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blue Steel without repainting risk. See the full Goodnight Moon swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Blue Steel
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Blue Steel is In The Navy (IN THE NAVY) — very close at ΔE 2.78, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 10) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full In The Navy swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Blue Steel
The closest Kompozit equivalent of Blue Steel is Thunderstorm (0514). At ΔE 0.94 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). If Kompozit is your counter, order Thunderstorm and you'll get the same color. See the full Thunderstorm swatch →