Opalescent
SW 9686 · #DFE0E3 · LRV 75 — cool blue tone, very light — near-white, broadens small spaces.
- 1Heirloom Shade63
- 2First Star69
- 3Opalescent75
- 4Alabaster82
- 5Chantilly Lace91
What Color Is Opalescent, Really?
Opalescent reads as a cool blue tone — very light — near-white, broadens small spaces. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 9686 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Opalescent
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. As a white, it's a natural for trim, ceilings and cabinets, and a clean backdrop for art.
How Lighting Changes 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.
Most complaints about Opalescent 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 Sherwin-Williams SW 9686 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Etched GlassMQ3-27 · Behr | 1.7 | 74 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Seattle Gray2130-70 · Benjamin Moore | 1.9 | 73 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Mais Oui8006-7A · Valspar | 0.0 | 75 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | January DawnPPG1165-1 · PPG / Glidden | 1.0 | 75 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Wayward WindsPPG1043-3 · Glidden | 0.2 | 74 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Chalky Purple345-1DB · Dutch Boy | 2.4 | 76 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The 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.
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 #DFE0E3 in HSL space. Pair Opalescent with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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