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Honest Blue SW 6520
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: Noticeable blue undertone
In CIELAB, Honest Blue sits at L* 79.0, a* -4.6, b* -8.4. Its hue angle is 241° and its chroma is 9.6, so it leans blue clearly enough to notice on a full wall. It classifies as cool. Among Sherwin-Williams colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 5%.
LRV 54.9: light
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 54.9, Honest Blue is lighter than 67% of Sherwin-Williams colors. The most forgiving range for whole-house walls. Keeps rooms bright without glare.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Honest 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea View | 836 | 1.30 | Very close | |
| Serenata | AF-535 | 1.75 | Very close | |
| Greenhow Blue | CW-655 | 1.85 | Very close |
Closest Behr match to Honest 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opal Waters | MQ5-50 | 0.54 | Practically identical | |
| English Hollyhock | HDC-CT-16A | 0.99 | Practically identical | |
| Denim Light | PPU14-15 | 1.32 | Very close |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take Five | SW 6513 | 1.20 | Very close | |
| Blissful Blue | SW 6527 | 1.68 | Very close | |
| Sleepy Hollow | SW 9145 | 1.82 | Very close | |
| Wondrous Blue | SW 6807 | 2.37 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Vast Sky | SW 6506 | 3.19 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Icy | SW 6534 | 3.28 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Wondrous Blue SW 6807 · lighter, LRV 59.2
- Hyacinth Tint SW 6968 · lighter, LRV 59.6
- Jetstream SW 6492 · lighter, LRV 60.0
- Rain SW 6219 · darker, LRV 49.2
- Rest Assured SW 9061 · darker, LRV 48.6
- Windy Blue SW 6240 · darker, LRV 47.5
Colors that go with Honest Blue
Sherwin-Williams's own coordinating colors for Honest Blue:
- Extra White SW 7006
- Gauntlet Gray SW 7019
- Rarified Air SW 6525
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Sherwin-Williams color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Abalone Shell SW 6050 · complementary (180°)
- Billowy Breeze SW 9055 · analogous (−30°)
- Hyacinth Tint SW 6968 · analogous (+30°)
- Fading Rose SW 6296 · triadic (120°)
- Hazel Gaze SW 9652 · triadic (240°)
Honest Blue vs popular colors
- Smoke (Benjamin Moore 2122-40, ΔE 5.0) is lighter (LRV 56.4 vs 54.9), more yellow/warm, more muted.
- Palladian Blue (Benjamin Moore HC-144, ΔE 9.8) is lighter (LRV 60.4 vs 54.9), more yellow/warm, more green, more muted.
- Coventry Gray (Benjamin Moore HC-169, ΔE 9.8) is darker (LRV 48.2 vs 54.9), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.