Home › Benjamin Moore › Blue › Blue Bayou
Blue Bayou 801
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: Saturated blue (a color, not a neutral)
In CIELAB, Blue Bayou sits at L* 73.5, a* -7.2, b* -17.4. Its hue angle is 247° and its chroma is 18.8, so it reads as an outright blue rather than a neutral. It classifies as cool. Among Benjamin Moore colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 5%.
LRV 46.9: mid-tone
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 46.9, Blue Bayou is lighter than 51% of Benjamin Moore colors. Reads clearly as a color. Best in rooms with good natural light, or as an accent wall; small dark rooms may feel smaller.
Closest Sherwin-Williams match to Blue Bayou
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Beyond | SW 6961 | 2.67 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Regale Blue | SW 6801 | 3.52 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Resolute Blue | SW 6507 | 4.12 | Similar, clearly different |
Closest Behr match to Blue Bayou
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color. Behr does not publish LRV, so Behr values here are estimates.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Posh | MQ5-55 | 1.14 | Very close | |
| Blue Chalk | M500-3 | 1.53 | Very close | |
| Gentle Sky | PPU14-11 | 1.89 | Very close |
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faded Denim | 795 | 2.41 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Summer Day | CC-786 | 2.41 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Blue Marguerite | 2063-50 | 2.82 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Sapphire Ice | 808 | 2.89 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Blue Jean | 2062-50 | 3.10 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Athenian Blue | 773 | 3.54 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Benjamin Moore with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Sapphire Ice 808 · lighter, LRV 50.4
- Mediterranean Sky 1662 · lighter, LRV 50.8
- Faded Denim 795 · lighter, LRV 51.5
- Porcelain Glaze CSP-550 · darker, LRV 43.4
- Blue Jean 2062-50 · darker, LRV 43.4
- Saratoga Springs 1669 · darker, LRV 41.8
Colors that go with Blue Bayou
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Benjamin Moore color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Raleigh Tan CW-190 · complementary (180°)
- Peacock Feathers 724 · analogous (−30°)
- Freesia 1432 · analogous (+30°)
- Pink Eraser 2005-50 · triadic (120°)
- Sherwood Green HC-118 · triadic (240°)
Blue Bayou vs popular colors
- Smoke (Benjamin Moore 2122-40, ΔE 11.4) is lighter (LRV 56.4 vs 46.9), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Coventry Gray (Benjamin Moore HC-169, ΔE 15.2) is about as light, more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Lavender Mist (Benjamin Moore 2070-60, ΔE 15.9) is lighter (LRV 63.2 vs 46.9), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.