Taboo Blue
340-3DB · #AEB7C4 · LRV 47 — cool blue tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
What Color Is Taboo Blue, Really?
Taboo Blue reads as a cool blue tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Dutch Boy 340-3DB behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Taboo Blue
Taboo Blue 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 Taboo Blue
Taboo Blue sits in the mid-range at LRV 47, 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.
Most complaints about Taboo Blue 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 340-3DB 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 | LakesideSW 9683 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.9 | 47 | Color page → |
| Behr | Calming SpaceICC-45 · Behr | 2.7 | 46 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Manor Blue1627 · Benjamin Moore | 2.5 | 46 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Misty Morning Dew4003-3C · Valspar | 0.5 | 46.5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Blue BeardPPG1042-4 · PPG / Glidden | 1.1 | 46 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Silver Night Blue10BB 47/077 · Glidden | 0.5 | 47 | Color page → |
Similar Dutch Boy Colors
The nearest shades to Taboo 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.
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 #AEB7C4 in HSL space. Pair Taboo Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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