Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Tender Blue |
| SKU | 236-3DB |
| Hex | #A9C9D7 |
| RGB | 169, 201, 215 |
| HSL | 198°, 37%, 75% |
| LRV | 55 |
| Undertone | blue-green / cool |
| Family | Blue |
About Dutch Boy Tender Blue
At LRV 55, Tender Blue is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. 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. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Tender Blue is an easy whole-room color for living spaces and bedrooms, and light enough to carry onto trim or a ceiling if you want a soft, seamless look. 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.
Sherwin-Williams
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Kompozit
Benjamin Moore
Diamond Vogel
Backdrop
Dunn-Edwards
Behr
C2 Paint
Clare
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Tender 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 #A9C9D7 in HSL space. Pair Tender 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 Tender Blue Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Tender 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 236-3DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Tender Blue
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Tender Blue is Vast Sky (SW 6506). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue-green undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Vast Sky and you'll get the same color. See the full Vast Sky swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Tender Blue
The closest Valspar equivalent of Tender Blue is Summer Rain (8003-41B). At ΔE 0.57 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue-green undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55). If Valspar is your counter, order Summer Rain and you'll get the same color. See the full Summer Rain swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Tender Blue
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Tender Blue is Sonata (PPG1157-3). At ΔE 0.9 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Sonata and you'll get the same color. See the full Sonata swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Tender Blue
Kompozit's nearest match is Soft Blue (0651), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.37). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 57 vs 55) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Tender Blue without repainting risk. See the full Soft Blue swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Tender Blue
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Greenhow Blue (CW-655), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.39). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Tender Blue without repainting risk. See the full Greenhow Blue swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Tender Blue
At Backdrop, the closest color to Tender Blue is Lost in the 80s (BD-LO) — very close at ΔE 2.09, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 51 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Lost in the 80s swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Tender Blue
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Tender Blue is Blue Calico (DET585) — very close at ΔE 2.47, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 55) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blue Calico swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Tender Blue
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Tender Blue is Dancing in the Rain (0644) — very close at ΔE 3, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dancing in the Rain swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Tender Blue
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Tender Blue is Ersatz (C2-735) — very close at ΔE 3.13, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54 vs 55) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ersatz swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Tender Blue
Behr has no exact twin of Tender Blue. The nearest is Caspian Tide (PPU14-13) at ΔE 4.18 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 55 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Caspian Tide swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Tender Blue
Clare has no exact twin of Tender Blue. The nearest is Summer Friday (PNT100-LT-37) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 54 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Summer Friday swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Tender Blue
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Tender Blue. The nearest is Vibrant Horizon (JG-88) at ΔE 4.67 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 56 vs 55). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Vibrant Horizon swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Tender Blue
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Tender Blue — the nearest deck color, Blue Ground (NO. 210), is clearly different (ΔE 5.71). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 236-3DB instead. See the full Blue Ground swatch →