Old Mill Blue
PPG1171-6 · #6E6F82 · LRV 16 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Anchors Aweigh3
- 2Hale Navy8
- 3Old Mill Blue16
- 4Wolf Gray21
- 5Resolute Blue40
What Color Is Old Mill Blue, Really?
Old Mill Blue reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Glidden PPG1171-6 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Old Mill Blue
Old Mill Blue works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Old Mill Blue
With an LRV of 16, Old Mill Blue is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Old Mill 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 Glidden PPG1171-6 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 | Exclusive PlumSW 6263 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.8 | 16 | Color page → |
| Behr | EnigmaticBNC-30 · Behr | 1.9 | 16 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Amethyst Shadow1441 · Benjamin Moore | 1.6 | 18 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Purple Funk8004-47E · Valspar | 3.8 | 16 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Old Mill BluePPG1171-6 · PPG / Glidden | 0.6 | 17 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Violaceous344-5DB · Dutch Boy | 3.6 | 16 | Color page → |
Similar Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Old Mill Blue within Glidden'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 #6E6F82 in HSL space. Pair Old Mill Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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