Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Violaceous |
| SKU | 344-5DB |
| Hex | #716B80 |
| RGB | 113, 107, 128 |
| HSL | 257°, 9%, 46% |
| LRV | 16 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Dutch Boy Violaceous
With an LRV of 16, Violaceous is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its violet 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Violaceous works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
12 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
C2 Paint
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Violaceous 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 #716B80 in HSL space. Pair Violaceous 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 Violaceous Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Violaceous 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 344-5DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Violaceous
Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Violaceous. The nearest is Wood Violet (SW 6557) at ΔE 4.11 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 16 vs 16). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wood Violet swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Violaceous
Behr's nearest match is Royal Raisin (N110-5), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.82). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 15 vs 16) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Violaceous without repainting risk. See the full Royal Raisin swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Violaceous
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Violaceous. The nearest is French Violet (1427) at ΔE 4.55 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 16). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full French Violet swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Violaceous
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Violaceous is Purple Rain (PPG1174-6) — very close at ΔE 2.93, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 16 vs 16) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Purple Rain swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Violaceous
Glidden has no exact twin of Violaceous. The nearest is Great Grape (PPG1169-6) at ΔE 3.65 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 16 vs 16). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Great Grape swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Violaceous
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Violaceous. The nearest is Tara's Violet (HGSW 2423) at ΔE 4.11 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 16 vs 16). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tara's Violet swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Violaceous
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Grapes of Wrath (1284), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.7). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 16 vs 16) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Violaceous without repainting risk. See the full Grapes of Wrath swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Violaceous
Clare has no exact twin of Violaceous. The nearest is Prince (PNT100-DP-33) at ΔE 4.2 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 14 vs 16). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Prince swatch →