Retro-Colonial Blue
4006-4B · #587487 · LRV 16.4 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Anchors Aweigh3
- 2Hale Navy8
- 3Retro-Colonial Blue16.4
- 4Williamsburg Wedgwood Blue28
- 5Resolute Blue40
What Color Is Retro-Colonial Blue, Really?
Retro-Colonial Blue reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Valspar 4006-4B behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Retro-Colonial Blue
Retro-Colonial Blue works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Retro-Colonial Blue
With an LRV of 16.4, Retro-Colonial Blue is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Retro-Colonial Blue 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 4006-4B 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 | Inky BlueSW 9149 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.2 | 15 | Color page → |
| Behr | Layers Of OceanS520-6 · Behr | 3.0 | 16 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | SchoonerAF-520 · Benjamin Moore | 2.9 | 18 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Hatteras GrayPPG10-10 · PPG / Glidden | 2.7 | 16 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Village Blue70BG 17/116 · Glidden | 2.0 | 17 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Stars & Stripes239-6DB · Dutch Boy | 4.5 | 16 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Retro-Colonial Blue 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 #587487 in HSL space. Pair Retro-Colonial Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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