Macaw
8003-48D · #8E91AB · LRV 29 — cool blue tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Hale Navy8
- 2Waterloo13
- 3Macaw29
- 4Resolute Blue40
- 5Lost in the 80s51
What Color Is Macaw, Really?
Macaw reads as a cool blue tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Valspar 8003-48D behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Macaw
Macaw is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Macaw
Macaw sits in the mid-range at LRV 29, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Macaw 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 Valspar 8003-48D 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 | Dusty HeatherSW 9073 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.8 | 28 | Color page → |
| Behr | CamelotS550-4 · Behr | 2.9 | 28 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Violet Stone2069-40 · Benjamin Moore | 2.6 | 29 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Cotton FlannelPPG1171-5 · PPG / Glidden | 3.1 | 28 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Cotton FlannelPPG1171-5 · Glidden | 3.1 | 28 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Come Catch Me243-4DB · Dutch Boy | 1.6 | 29 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Macaw within Valspar'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 #8E91AB in HSL space. Pair Macaw with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Have you painted with Macaw?
Rate it — one tap helps the next reader decide.
Ask a Question