Black Blue
No. 95 · #3E4245 · LRV 5 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Cordovan Brown0
- 2Black Blue5
What Color Is Black Blue, Really?
Black Blue reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Farrow & Ball No. 95 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Black Blue
Black Blue earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.
How Lighting Changes Black Blue
At LRV 5, Black Blue is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Black 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 Farrow & Ball No. 95 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 | Iron OreSW 7069 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.6 | 6 | Color page → |
| Behr | Dark Cavern790F-7 · Behr | 3.8 | 6 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Notre DameCSP-570 · Benjamin Moore | 1.9 | 6 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Chimney Smoke4010-1 · Valspar | 1.3 | 5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Black MagicPPG1001-7 · PPG / Glidden | 2.7 | 5 | Color page → |
| Glidden | NapoleonPPG1013-7 · Glidden | 4.1 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Farrow & Ball Colors
The nearest shades to Black Blue within Farrow & Ball'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 #3E4245 in HSL space. Pair Black Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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