Portsmouth Blue
H0049 · #5B7074 · LRV 15 — cool blue-green tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Salamander6
- 2Portsmouth Blue15
- 3Adirondack Blue22
- 4Van Courtland Blue31
What Color Is Portsmouth Blue, Really?
Portsmouth Blue reads as a cool blue-green tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Hirshfield's H0049 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Portsmouth Blue
Portsmouth Blue works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Teals add character without shouting — good for a vanity, an island or a feature wall.
How Lighting Changes Portsmouth Blue
With an LRV of 15, Portsmouth Blue is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its teal 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 Portsmouth 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 Hirshfield's H0049 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 | RiverwaySW 6222 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.3 | 16 | Color page → |
| Behr | Unreal TealECC-58-3 · Behr | 1.4 | 15 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Blue Spruce1637 · Benjamin Moore | 3.0 | 17 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Ol' Blue EyesV105-5 · Valspar | 2.2 | 14.7 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | SuperstitionPPG1035-6 · PPG / Glidden | 1.6 | 15 | Color page → |
| Glidden | SuperstitionPPG1035-6 · Glidden | 1.6 | 15 | Color page → |
Similar Hirshfield's Colors
The nearest shades to Portsmouth Blue 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 #5B7074 in HSL space. Pair Portsmouth Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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