Fair-Minded Gray
438-3DB · #B9BAB6 · LRV 49 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
What Color Is Fair-Minded Gray, Really?
Fair-Minded Gray reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Dutch Boy 438-3DB behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Fair-Minded Gray
Fair-Minded Gray is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Fair-Minded Gray
Fair-Minded Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 49, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Fair-Minded Gray 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 Dutch Boy 438-3DB 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 | March WindSW 7668 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.3 | 49 | Color page → |
| Behr | Classic SilverPPU18-11 · Behr | 0.6 | 48 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Coventry GrayHC-169 · Benjamin Moore | 0.5 | 48 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Granite Dust5006-1C · Valspar | 1.5 | 48.1 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Pigeon FeatherPPG0995-4 · PPG / Glidden | 0.8 | 48 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Fresh GranitePPG0997-3 · Glidden | 0.5 | 49 | Color page → |
Similar Dutch Boy Colors
The nearest shades to Fair-Minded Gray within Dutch Boy'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 #B9BAB6 in HSL space. Pair Fair-Minded Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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