Blackwater
1320 · #545663 · LRV 12 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Naval4
- 2Blackwater12
- 3Charcoal Blue19
- 4Resolute Blue40
What Color Is Blackwater, Really?
Blackwater reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Hirshfield's 1320 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Blackwater
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.
How Lighting Changes 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.
Most complaints about Blackwater 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 Hirshfield's 1320 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 | Mineral GraySW 2740 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.4 | 9 | Color page → |
| Behr | Ball GownMQ5-06 · Behr | 1.8 | 9 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Evening Dove2128-30 · Benjamin Moore | 3.8 | 10 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Coal Tipple8004-47F · Valspar | 1.6 | 9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Purple ParlorPPG13-17 · PPG / Glidden | 3.7 | 9 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Sophisticated Navy30BB 10/075 · Glidden | 2.8 | 10 | Color page → |
Similar Hirshfield's Colors
The 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.
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 #545663 in HSL space. Pair Blackwater with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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