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Steel Blue 823
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, Steel Blue sits at L* 64.5, a* -0.3, b* -19.6. Its hue angle is 269° and its chroma is 19.6, 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 4%.
LRV 35.3: mid-tone
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 35.3, Steel Blue is lighter than 39% 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 Steel Blue
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesy Note | SW 9064 | 4.20 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Lobelia | SW 6809 | 4.25 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Dried Lavender | SW 9072 | 4.75 | Similar, clearly different |
Closest Behr match to Steel Blue
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washed Denim | M530-4 | 1.74 | Very close | |
| Blueberry Popover | 610D-5 | 2.21 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Romantic Isle | 590D-4 | 2.70 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressed Violet | CSP-520 | 1.87 | Very close | |
| Blue Pearl | 1433 | 3.58 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Harlequin Blue | 830 | 3.76 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Denim Wash | 838 | 4.97 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Aqua Marina | 816 | 5.25 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Soft Jazz | 809 | 5.62 | Similar, clearly different |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Benjamin Moore with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Pressed Violet CSP-520 · lighter, LRV 37.6
- Harlequin Blue 830 · lighter, LRV 38.3
- Aqua Marina 816 · lighter, LRV 42.7
- Violet Stone 2069-40 · darker, LRV 29.4
- Flower Box CSP-530 · darker, LRV 28.9
- Blue Dragon 810 · darker, LRV 27.6
Colors that go with Steel Blue
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Benjamin Moore color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Northampton Putty HC-89 · complementary (180°)
- I've Got the Blues 774 · analogous (−30°)
- Snugglepuss 1405 · analogous (+30°)
- Amaryllis 1256 · triadic (120°)
- Winchester Sage 628 · triadic (240°)
Steel Blue vs popular colors
- French Lilac (Benjamin Moore 1403, ΔE 15.8) is lighter (LRV 56.1 vs 35.3), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Aegean Teal (Benjamin Moore 2136-40, ΔE 16.0) is darker (LRV 25.1 vs 35.3), more yellow/warm, more green, more muted.
- Lavender Mist (Benjamin Moore 2070-60, ΔE 17.0) is lighter (LRV 63.2 vs 35.3), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.