Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Blue Dusk |
| SKU | M318 |
| Hex | #233E51 |
| RGB | 35, 62, 81 |
| HSL | 205°, 40%, 23% |
| LRV | 4.4 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Valspar Blue Dusk
At LRV 4.4, Blue Dusk 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 Dusk 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
7 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
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
C2 Paint
Portola Paints
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Blue Dusk 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 #233E51 in HSL space. Pair Blue Dusk 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 Dusk Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Blue Dusk 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 M318 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blue Dusk
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Blue Dusk is Salty Dog (SW 9177) — very close at ΔE 2.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4.4) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Salty Dog swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Blue Dusk
Behr's nearest match is New Navy Blue (BXC-26), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.39). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4.4) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Blue Dusk without repainting risk. See the full New Navy Blue swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Blue Dusk
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Blue Dusk is North Sea (CC-932) — very close at ΔE 3.25, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4.4) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full North Sea swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Blue Dusk
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Blue Dusk is Deep Sky (335-7DB) — very close at ΔE 2.69, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4.4) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Deep Sky swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Blue Dusk
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Blue Dusk is Salty Dog (HGSW 9177) — very close at ΔE 2.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4.4) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Salty Dog swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Blue Dusk
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Blue Dusk. The nearest is Ghost Tree (GHOST TREE) at ΔE 4.89 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4.4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ghost Tree swatch →