Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Steele Blue |
| SKU | V137-5 |
| Hex | #7B8C99 |
| RGB | 123, 140, 153 |
| HSL | 206°, 13%, 54% |
| LRV | 25.3 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Valspar Steele Blue
Steele Blue sits in the mid-range at LRV 25.3, 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.
Steele Blue is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
15 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 gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Rodda
C2 Paint
Portola Paints
Backdrop
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Steele Blue 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 #7B8C99 in HSL space. Pair Steele Blue 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 Steele Blue Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Steele Blue 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 V137-5 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Steele Blue
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Bracing Blue (SW 6242), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.43). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Steele Blue without repainting risk. See the full Bracing Blue swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Steele Blue
Behr's nearest match is Cold Steel (MQ5-20), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.33). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Steele Blue without repainting risk. See the full Cold Steel swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Steele Blue
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Steele Blue is Wild Blue Yonder (CSP-620) — very close at ΔE 2.17, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Wild Blue Yonder swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Steele Blue
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Steele Blue is Prophetic Sea (PPG1042-5) — very close at ΔE 3.48, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Prophetic Sea swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Steele Blue
Glidden's nearest match is Night Sky Grey (90BG 25/079), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.52). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Steele Blue without repainting risk. See the full Night Sky Grey swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Steele Blue
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Steele Blue. The nearest is Illusionary (340-5DB) at ΔE 4.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25.3). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Illusionary swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Steele Blue
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Bracing Blue (HGSW 3353), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.43). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 25 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Steele Blue without repainting risk. See the full Bracing Blue swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Steele Blue
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Steele Blue is China Clay (DE5802) — very close at ΔE 2.96, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 23 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full China Clay swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Steele Blue
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Steele Blue. The nearest is Deep Rock (JG-95) at ΔE 4.86 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25.3). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Deep Rock swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Steele Blue
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Steele Blue is Selvedge (NO. 306) — very close at ΔE 2.76, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Selvedge swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Steele Blue
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Steele Blue is Ocean Storms (0506) — very close at ΔE 2.16, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 23 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean Storms swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Steele Blue
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Steele Blue is Ravine (C2-731) — very close at ΔE 2.57, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ravine swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Steele Blue
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Steele Blue is Blue Heron (BLUE HERON) — very close at ΔE 3.47, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blue Heron swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Steele Blue
At Backdrop, the closest color to Steele Blue is Polly Wants (BD-PW) — very close at ΔE 2.27, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 25.3) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Polly Wants swatch →