Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Blue Coal |
| SKU | 4011-3 |
| Hex | #2B3140 |
| RGB | 43, 49, 64 |
| HSL | 223°, 20%, 21% |
| LRV | 3.1 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Valspar Blue Coal
At LRV 3.1, Blue Coal is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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 rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Blue Coal earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
Closest matches by brand
8 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 blue from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Rodda
Portola Paints
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Blue Coal within Valspar'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 #2B3140 in HSL space. Pair Blue Coal 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.
Valspar Blue Coal Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Blue Coal 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 Valspar 4011-3 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blue Coal
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Blue Coal is Anchors Aweigh (SW 9179) — very close at ΔE 2.5, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3.1) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Anchors Aweigh swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Blue Coal
At Behr, the closest color to Blue Coal is Sorcerer (760F-7) — very close at ΔE 2.89, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 3.1) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sorcerer swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Blue Coal
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Blue Coal is Winding Waterway (2063-10) — very close at ΔE 2.63, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3.1) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Winding Waterway swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Blue Coal
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Blue Coal. The nearest is Wishing On A Star (338-7DB) at ΔE 4.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 3.1). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wishing On A Star swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Blue Coal
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Blue Coal. The nearest is Old Mill (DEA185) at ΔE 3.66 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3.1). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Old Mill swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Blue Coal
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Blue Coal. The nearest is Blackboard (JG-05) at ΔE 4.92 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3.1). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blackboard swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Blue Coal
Rodda has no exact twin of Blue Coal. The nearest is Midnight (CA210) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3.1). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Midnight swatch →