Color spec
| Brand | Hirshfield's |
| Name | Blackwater |
| SKU | 1320 |
| Hex | #545663 |
| RGB | 84, 86, 99 |
| HSL | 232°, 8%, 36% |
| LRV | 12 |
| Undertone | blue / cool |
| Family | Blue |
About Hirshfield's Blackwater
With an LRV of 12, Blackwater 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.
Blackwater 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.
Closest matches at every US brand
20 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. 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
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Backdrop
Rust-Oleum
Kompozit
Similar Hirshfield's colors
closest in the Hirshfield's deckThe nearest shades to Blackwater within Hirshfield's'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 #545663 in HSL space. Pair Blackwater 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.
Hirshfield's Blackwater Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Blackwater 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 Hirshfield's 1320 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blackwater
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Blackwater is Mineral Gray (SW 2740) — very close at ΔE 2.41, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Mineral Gray swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Blackwater
Behr's nearest match is Ball Gown (MQ5-6), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.04). It runs slightly darker (LRV 10 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blackwater without repainting risk. See the full Ball Gown swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Blackwater
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Blackwater. The nearest is Evening Dove (2128-30) at ΔE 3.82 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 10 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Evening Dove swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Blackwater
Valspar's nearest match is Coal Tipple (8004-47F), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.6). It runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blackwater without repainting risk. See the full Coal Tipple swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Blackwater
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Blackwater. The nearest is Purple Parlor (PPG13-17) at ΔE 3.68 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Purple Parlor swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Blackwater
At Glidden, the closest color to Blackwater is Sophisticated Navy (30BB 10/075) — very close at ΔE 2.78, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 10 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sophisticated Navy swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Blackwater
Dutch Boy doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Gravity (435-7DB), is clearly different (ΔE 5.3). For an exact match, any Dutch Boy retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Gravity swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blackwater
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Blackwater. The nearest is Shadow Hue (HGSW 3392) at ΔE 3.69 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 10 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Shadow Hue swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Blackwater
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Blackwater. The nearest is Edge of Black (DE6349) at ΔE 4.36 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Edge of Black swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Blackwater
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Blackwater. The nearest is Coffee Nook (JG-96) at ΔE 4.09 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Coffee Nook swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Blackwater
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Stiffkey Blue (NO. 281), is clearly different (ΔE 6.75). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Stiffkey Blue swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Blackwater
Diamond Vogel doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Plum Perfect (1292), is clearly different (ΔE 6.25). For an exact match, any Diamond Vogel retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Plum Perfect swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Blackwater
Rodda doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Deep Well (R101), is clearly different (ΔE 5.99). For an exact match, any Rodda retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Deep Well swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Blackwater
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Blackwater. The nearest is Sorcerer (C2-758) at ΔE 4.76 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 10 vs 12). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Sorcerer swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Blackwater
Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Goodnight Moon (PNT100-DP-42), is clearly different (ΔE 6.28). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Goodnight Moon swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Blackwater
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Blackwater is In The Navy (IN THE NAVY) — very close at ΔE 2.76, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full In The Navy swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Blackwater
Annie Sloan doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Rodmell (RODMELL), is clearly different (ΔE 7.55). For an exact match, any Annie Sloan retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Rodmell swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Blackwater
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, We Three Kings (BD-WK), is clearly different (ΔE 7.81). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full We Three Kings swatch →
Rust-Oleum Equivalent of Blackwater
Rust-Oleum doesn't make a true equivalent of Blackwater — the nearest deck color, Rainforest Green (391445), is clearly different (ΔE 18.2). For an exact match, any Rust-Oleum retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 1320 instead. See the full Rainforest Green swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Blackwater
The closest Kompozit equivalent of Blackwater is Blackwater (1320). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 9 vs 12). If Kompozit is your counter, order Blackwater and you'll get the same color. See the full Blackwater swatch →