Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Subdued Blue |
| SKU | 238-4DB |
| Hex | #8BAEC5 |
| RGB | 139, 174, 197 |
| HSL | 204°, 33%, 66% |
| LRV | 40 |
| Undertone | blue / cool |
| Family | Blue |
About Dutch Boy Subdued Blue
Subdued Blue sits in the mid-range at LRV 40, 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.
Subdued Blue is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
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 blue from that brand.
PPG / Glidden
C2 Paint
Valspar
Kompozit
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Behr
Diamond Vogel
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Dunn-Edwards
Backdrop
Clare
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Subdued Blue 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 #8BAEC5 in HSL space. Pair Subdued 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.
Dutch Boy Subdued Blue Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Subdued Blue 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 238-4DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Subdued Blue
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Arabella (PPG1157-4), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.61). It runs slightly darker (LRV 38 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Subdued Blue without repainting risk. See the full Arabella swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Subdued Blue
C2 Paint's nearest match is Linus (C2-749), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.69). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Subdued Blue without repainting risk. See the full Linus swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Subdued Blue
At Valspar, the closest color to Subdued Blue is Porcelain Vase (V109-4) — very close at ΔE 2.08, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 37.7 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Porcelain Vase swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Subdued Blue
At Kompozit, the closest color to Subdued Blue is Calm Tint (0645) — very close at ΔE 2.35, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Calm Tint swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Subdued Blue
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Subdued Blue is New Born's Eyes (1663) — very close at ΔE 2.63, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 41 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full New Born's Eyes swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Subdued Blue
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Subdued Blue is Calm Tint (0645) — very close at ΔE 2.69, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 40) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Calm Tint swatch →
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Subdued Blue
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Subdued Blue is Resolute Blue (SW 6507) — very close at ΔE 2.88, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 40 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Resolute Blue swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Subdued Blue
At Behr, the closest color to Subdued Blue is Atmosphere (QE-51) — very close at ΔE 3.12, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 39 vs 40) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Atmosphere swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Subdued Blue
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Subdued Blue. The nearest is Winter Solstice (JG-89) at ΔE 4.42 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 37 vs 40). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Winter Solstice swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Subdued Blue
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Subdued Blue. The nearest is Lulworth Blue (NO. 89) at ΔE 4.56 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs noticeably lighter (LRV 46 vs 40). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Lulworth Blue swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Subdued Blue
Dunn-Edwards doesn't make a true equivalent of Subdued Blue — the nearest deck color, Bachelor Blue (DE5878), is clearly different (ΔE 5.11). For an exact match, any Dunn-Edwards retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 238-4DB instead. See the full Bachelor Blue swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Subdued Blue
Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Subdued Blue — the nearest deck color, Good Jeans (PNT100-LT-38), is clearly different (ΔE 6.18). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 238-4DB instead. See the full Good Jeans swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Subdued Blue
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Subdued Blue — the nearest deck color, Underdog (BD-UD), is clearly different (ΔE 7.53). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 238-4DB instead. See the full Underdog swatch →