Tropical Kelp
DE5698 · #009D7D · LRV 23 — cool blue-green tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Essex Green6
- 2Vintage Vogue12
- 3Tropical Kelp23
- 4Evergreen Fog30
- 5Clary Sage41
What Color Is Tropical Kelp, Really?
Tropical Kelp reads as a cool blue-green tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE5698 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Tropical Kelp
Tropical Kelp works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greens bridge indoors and out, so they suit living rooms, kitchens and sunrooms.
How Lighting Changes Tropical Kelp
With an LRV of 23, Tropical Kelp is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its teal 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 Tropical Kelp 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 DE5698 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 | Jitterbug JadeSW 6987 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.2 | 25 | Color page → |
| Behr | Tropical WatersS-G-500 · Behr | 2.4 | 23 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Hummingbird Green2042-30 · Benjamin Moore | 0.6 | 26 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Tropical Rainforest6002-10C · Valspar | 0.8 | 25.9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Congo GreenPPG1229-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.5 | 29 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Congo GreenPPG1229-6 · Glidden | 2.2 | 28 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Tropical Kelp 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 #009D7D in HSL space. Pair Tropical Kelp with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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