Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Water Drop |
| SKU | 238-3DB |
| Hex | #A3C3D8 |
| RGB | 163, 195, 216 |
| HSL | 204°, 40%, 74% |
| LRV | 52 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Dutch Boy Water Drop
At LRV 52, Water Drop is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. 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. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Water Drop 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 by brand
18 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 blue from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Water Drop 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 #A3C3D8 in HSL space. Pair Water Drop 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 Water Drop Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Water Drop 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 238-3DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Water Drop
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Water Drop is Porch Ceiling (SW 9063) — very close at ΔE 3.26, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 53 vs 52) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Porch Ceiling swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Water Drop
At Behr, the closest color to Water Drop is Perfect Landing (S520-3) — very close at ΔE 2.94, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 53 vs 52) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Perfect Landing swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Water Drop
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Sapphire Ice (808), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.29). It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Water Drop without repainting risk. See the full Sapphire Ice swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Water Drop
Valspar's nearest match is Novella Blue (4004-5B), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.53). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 52.4 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Water Drop without repainting risk. See the full Novella Blue swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Water Drop
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Water Drop is Blue Bows (PPG1158-3). 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 51 vs 52). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Blue Bows and you'll get the same color. See the full Blue Bows swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Water Drop
The closest Glidden equivalent of Water Drop is Blue Bows (PPG1158-3). At ΔE 0.36 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 52 vs 52). If Glidden is your counter, order Blue Bows and you'll get the same color. See the full Blue Bows swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Water Drop
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Water Drop is Cold River (HGSW 2366) — very close at ΔE 3.28, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 52) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Cold River swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Water Drop
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Water Drop is January Frost (DE5849) — very close at ΔE 2.31, though not an exact twin. It runs noticeably darker (LRV 46 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full January Frost swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Water Drop
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Water Drop is Bluette (0616) — very close at ΔE 2.84, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bluette swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Water Drop
Hirshfield's's nearest match is Dancing in the Rain (0644), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.89). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Water Drop without repainting risk. See the full Dancing in the Rain swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Water Drop
Rodda has no exact twin of Water Drop. The nearest is Shimmering Wave (R086) at ΔE 4.37 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 52). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Shimmering Wave swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Water Drop
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Water Drop. The nearest is Tidal (C2-768) at ΔE 4.35 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 52). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tidal swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Water Drop
Clare has no exact twin of Water Drop. The nearest is Cloud Watching (PNT100-MD-73) at ΔE 4.48 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 52). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Cloud Watching swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Water Drop
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Water Drop is Illusion (ILLUSION) — very close at ΔE 2.99, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Illusion swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Water Drop
Annie Sloan has no exact twin of Water Drop. The nearest is Louis Blue (LOUIS BLUE) at ΔE 4.76 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 50 vs 52). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Louis Blue swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Water Drop
Backdrop's nearest match is Lost in the 80s (BD-LO), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.89). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Water Drop without repainting risk. See the full Lost in the 80s swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Water Drop
Kompozit's nearest match is Dancing in the Rain (0644), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.89). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 53 vs 52) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Water Drop without repainting risk. See the full Dancing in the Rain swatch →