Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Pencil Lead |
| SKU | DE5922 |
| Hex | #5C6274 |
| RGB | 92, 98, 116 |
| HSL | 225°, 12%, 41% |
| LRV | 12 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Dunn-Edwards Pencil Lead
With an LRV of 12, Pencil Lead 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.
Pencil Lead works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
Closest matches by brand
11 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 blue from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Rodda
Clare
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Pencil Lead 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 #5C6274 in HSL space. Pair Pencil Lead 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 Pencil Lead Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Pencil Lead 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 DE5922 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Mesmerize (SW 6544), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.92). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Pencil Lead without repainting risk. See the full Mesmerize swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Behr's nearest match is Curtain Call (N570-5), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.25). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Pencil Lead without repainting risk. See the full Curtain Call swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Pencil Lead
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Pencil Lead is Blue Gaspe (1435). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and runs slightly lighter (LRV 14 vs 12). If Benjamin Moore is your counter, order Blue Gaspe and you'll get the same color. See the full Blue Gaspe swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Pencil Lead
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Pencil Lead. The nearest is Blue Zephyr (PPG1042-6) at ΔE 3.74 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blue Zephyr swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Glidden's nearest match is Blue Heron (50BB 13/104), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.44). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Pencil Lead without repainting risk. See the full Blue Heron swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Sweet Blueberry (342-6DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.92). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Pencil Lead without repainting risk. See the full Sweet Blueberry swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Pencil Lead
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Rococco Violet (HGSW 2402), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.92). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Pencil Lead without repainting risk. See the full Rococco Violet swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Wine Dark (NO. 308), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.96). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Pencil Lead without repainting risk. See the full Wine Dark swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Pencil Lead
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Pencil Lead is Blackwater (1320) — very close at ΔE 3.22, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blackwater swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Rodda has no exact twin of Pencil Lead. The nearest is Wabi-Sabi (R100) at ΔE 4.16 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wabi-Sabi swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Pencil Lead
Clare has no exact twin of Pencil Lead. The nearest is Blue'd Up (PNT100-MD-57) at ΔE 4.04 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blue'd Up swatch →