Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Opalescent |
| SKU | SW 9686 |
| Hex | #DFE0E3 |
| RGB | 223, 224, 227 |
| HSL | 225°, 7%, 88% |
| LRV | 75 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Sherwin-Williams Opalescent
Opalescent is very light — LRV 75, close to white. It opens up small or dim rooms and keeps walls feeling airy. 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. In north light it can read slightly cooler; a warm white trim alongside keeps it from going clinical.
Opalescent shines on ceilings, trim and in small or low-light rooms where you need to stretch the light — and as a calm whole-home backdrop. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
17 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 gray from that brand.
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Rust-Oleum
Kompozit
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Opalescent within Sherwin-Williams'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 #DFE0E3 in HSL space. Pair Opalescent 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.
Sherwin-Williams Opalescent Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Opalescent 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 Sherwin-Williams SW 9686 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Opalescent
Behr's nearest match is Etched Glass (MQ3-27), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.72). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 74 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Opalescent without repainting risk. See the full Etched Glass swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Opalescent
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Seattle Gray (2130-70), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.95). It runs slightly darker (LRV 73 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Opalescent without repainting risk. See the full Seattle Gray swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Opalescent
The closest Valspar equivalent of Opalescent is Mais Oui (8006-7A). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 75 vs 75). If Valspar is your counter, order Mais Oui and you'll get the same color. See the full Mais Oui swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Opalescent
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is January Dawn (PPG1165-1), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.01). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 75 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Opalescent without repainting risk. See the full January Dawn swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Opalescent
The closest Glidden equivalent of Opalescent is Wayward Winds (PPG1043-3). At ΔE 0.22 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 74 vs 75). If Glidden is your counter, order Wayward Winds and you'll get the same color. See the full Wayward Winds swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Opalescent
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Opalescent is Chalky Purple (345-1DB) — very close at ΔE 2.42, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 76 vs 75) and carries a warm magenta undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Chalky Purple swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Opalescent
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Opalescent is Icicle (HGSW 1457) — very close at ΔE 2.1, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 73 vs 75) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Icicle swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Opalescent
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Opalescent is Frosty Fog (DE5917) — very close at ΔE 2.39, though not an exact twin. It runs noticeably darker (LRV 69 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Frosty Fog swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Opalescent
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Opalescent. The nearest is Great White (NO. 2006) at ΔE 3.73 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 74 vs 75). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Great White swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Opalescent
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Wind Blown (0586), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.96). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 76 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Opalescent without repainting risk. See the full Wind Blown swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Opalescent
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Opalescent is Wind Blown (0586) — very close at ΔE 2.34, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 76 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Wind Blown swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Opalescent
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Opalescent. The nearest is Oxygen (C2-755) at ΔE 4.96 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 76 vs 75). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Oxygen swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Opalescent
At Kompozit, the closest color to Opalescent is Wind Blown (0586) — very close at ΔE 2.34, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 76 vs 75) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Wind Blown swatch →