Dunn-Edwards Madder Blue#B5B6CE · LRV 48
Madder Blue reads as a blue / cool — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Dunn-Edwards DE5926 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Madder Blue |
| SKU | DE5926 |
| Hex | #B5B6CE |
| RGB | 181, 182, 206 |
| HSL | 238°, 20%, 76% |
| LRV | 48 |
| Undertone | blue / cool |
| Family | Purple |
About Dunn-Edwards Madder Blue
Madder Blue sits in the mid-range at LRV 48, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Madder Blue is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Purples range from restful (bedrooms) to dramatic (powder rooms) depending on depth.
Kompozit alternative
The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.
Closest matches at every US brand
9 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all purple from that brand.
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Behr
Valspar
Sherwin-Williams
Magnolia Home
Clare
Farrow & Ball
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Madder 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.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #B5B6CE in HSL space. Pair Madder Blue 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.