Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Graduation Cap |
| SKU | 429-7DB |
| Hex | #2B3A40 |
| RGB | 43, 58, 64 |
| HSL | 197°, 20%, 21% |
| LRV | 4 |
| Undertone | blue-green / cool |
| Family | Teal |
About Dutch Boy Graduation Cap
At LRV 4, Graduation Cap is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Graduation Cap earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Teals add character without shouting — good for a vanity, an island or a feature wall.
Closest matches at every US brand
13 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 teal from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Valspar
Benjamin Moore
C2 Paint
PPG / Glidden
Magnolia Home
Kompozit
Diamond Vogel
Farrow & Ball
Dunn-Edwards
Backdrop
Clare
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Graduation Cap within Dutch Boy'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 #2B3A40 in HSL space. Pair Graduation Cap 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.
Dutch Boy Graduation Cap Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Graduation Cap 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 Dutch Boy 429-7DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Graduation Cap
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Graduation Cap is Dark Night (SW 6237) — very close at ΔE 2.21, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dark Night swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Graduation Cap
At Behr, the closest color to Graduation Cap is Night Shade (740F-7) — very close at ΔE 2.37, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Night Shade swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Graduation Cap
At Valspar, the closest color to Graduation Cap is Pitch Cobalt (5010-2) — very close at ΔE 2.91, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3.8 vs 4) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pitch Cobalt swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Graduation Cap. The nearest is Three-Piece-Suit (2062-10) at ΔE 4.4 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Three-Piece-Suit swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Magnolia Home doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Blackboard (JG-05), is clearly different (ΔE 6.06). For an exact match, any Magnolia Home retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Blackboard swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Diamond Vogel doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Grantsburg Gray (H101), is clearly different (ΔE 6.65). For an exact match, any Diamond Vogel retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Grantsburg Gray swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Graduation Cap
PPG / Glidden doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Starless Sky (PPG0995-7), is clearly different (ΔE 6.95). For an exact match, any PPG / Glidden retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Starless Sky swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Kompozit doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Octavius (0522), is clearly different (ΔE 7.21). For an exact match, any Kompozit retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Octavius swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Graduation Cap
C2 Paint doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Aperture (C2-981), is clearly different (ΔE 7.37). For an exact match, any C2 Paint retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Aperture swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, After Hours (BD-AH), is clearly different (ΔE 7.39). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full After Hours swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Dunn-Edwards doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Black (DEA002), is clearly different (ΔE 8.1). For an exact match, any Dunn-Edwards retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Black swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Pitch Black (NO. 256), is clearly different (ΔE 8.67). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Pitch Black swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Graduation Cap
Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Graduation Cap — the nearest deck color, Blackish (PNT100-DP-54), is clearly different (ΔE 9.69). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 429-7DB instead. See the full Blackish swatch →