Color spec
| Brand | Glidden |
| Name | Always Blue |
| SKU | PPG1156-3 |
| Hex | #A2BACB |
| RGB | 162, 186, 203 |
| HSL | 205°, 28%, 72% |
| LRV | 47 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Glidden Always Blue
Always 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.
Always Blue is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. 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
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Glidden colors
closest in the Glidden deckThe nearest shades to Always Blue within Glidden'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 #A2BACB in HSL space. Pair Always 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.
Glidden Always Blue Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Always 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 Glidden PPG1156-3 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Always Blue
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Always Blue is Windy Blue (SW 6240) — very close at ΔE 2.7, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 48 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Windy Blue swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Always Blue
At Behr, the closest color to Always Blue is Ridge View (610F-5) — very close at ΔE 2.39, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 47 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ridge View swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Always Blue
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Always Blue. The nearest is Sunrise (829) at ΔE 3.75 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 48 vs 47). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Sunrise swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Always Blue
Valspar's nearest match is Glacier Mist (4005-3B), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.54). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 47.7 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Always Blue without repainting risk. See the full Glacier Mist swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Always Blue
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Always Blue is Always Blue (PPG1156-3). At ΔE 0.71 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 47 vs 47). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Always Blue and you'll get the same color. See the full Always Blue swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Always Blue
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Always Blue is Valor (337-3DB) — very close at ΔE 3.05, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 45 vs 47) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Valor swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Always Blue
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Always Blue is Ocean's Side (HGSW 3356) — very close at ΔE 2.7, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 48 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean's Side swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Always Blue
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Northern Pond (DE5870), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.75). It runs slightly darker (LRV 43 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Always Blue without repainting risk. See the full Northern Pond swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Always Blue
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Lulworth Blue (NO. 89), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.16). It runs slightly darker (LRV 45 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Always Blue without repainting risk. See the full Lulworth Blue swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Always Blue
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Always Blue. The nearest is Mountain Main (0652) at ΔE 3.56 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 47 vs 47). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Mountain Main swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Always Blue
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Always Blue. The nearest is Babbling Creek (0588) at ΔE 4.53 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 50 vs 47). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Babbling Creek swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Always Blue
Rodda has no exact twin of Always Blue. The nearest is Shimmering Wave (R086) at ΔE 4.94 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 50 vs 47). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Shimmering Wave swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Always Blue
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Always Blue. The nearest is Fauquier Spring (BD19) at ΔE 3.67 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 45 vs 47). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Fauquier Spring swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Always Blue
At Clare, the closest color to Always Blue is Cloud Watching (PNT100-MD-73) — very close at ΔE 2.65, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 50 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Cloud Watching swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Always Blue
At Annie Sloan, the closest color to Always Blue is Louis Blue (LOUIS BLUE) — very close at ΔE 2.92, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 50 vs 47) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Louis Blue swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Always Blue
At Backdrop, the closest color to Always Blue is Lost in the 80s (BD-LO) — very close at ΔE 2.81, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 47) 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 →
Kompozit Equivalent of Always Blue
Kompozit has no exact twin of Always Blue. The nearest is Babbling Creek (0588) at ΔE 4.53 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 48 vs 47). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Babbling Creek swatch →