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Denim SW 6523
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, Denim sits at L* 44.1, a* -3.1, b* -17.0. Its hue angle is 260° and its chroma is 17.2, so it reads as an outright blue rather than a neutral. It classifies as cool. Among Sherwin-Williams colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 10%.
LRV 13.8: very dark
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 13.8, Denim is lighter than 17% of Sherwin-Williams colors. Near-black depth. Use on doors, trim, cabinetry, exteriors or moody rooms with strong artificial lighting.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Denim
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Blue | 1679 | 3.84 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Georgian Bay | CC-782 | 4.63 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Mozart Blue | 1665 | 4.63 | Similar, clearly different |
Closest Behr match to Denim
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neptune Blue | 570D-6 | 2.40 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Porch Song | PPF-47 | 2.66 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Arrowhead Lake | PPU14-1 | 2.74 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revel Blue | SW 6530 | 1.92 | Very close | |
| Azure Tide | SW 9684 | 3.28 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Distance | SW 6243 | 3.99 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Luxe Blue | SW 6537 | 4.00 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Inky Blue | SW 9149 | 4.44 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Down Pour | SW 6516 | 4.86 | Similar, clearly different |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Inky Blue SW 9149 · lighter, LRV 15.4
- Soulful Blue SW 6543 · lighter, LRV 20.3
- Searching Blue SW 6536 · lighter, LRV 20.6
- Azure Tide SW 9684 · darker, LRV 12.3
- Bunglehouse Blue SW 0048 · darker, LRV 11.3
- Endless Sea SW 9150 · darker, LRV 8.7
Colors that go with Denim
Sherwin-Williams's own coordinating colors for Denim:
- Rhinestone SW 7656
- In the Navy SW 9178
- Rarified Air SW 6525
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Sherwin-Williams color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Roycroft Brass SW 2843 · complementary (180°)
- Silken Peacock SW 9059 · analogous (−30°)
- Mesmerize SW 6544 · analogous (+30°)
- Alaea SW 7579 · triadic (120°)
- Kale Green SW 6460 · triadic (240°)
Denim vs popular colors
- Van Deusen Blue (Benjamin Moore HC-156, ΔE 6.1) is darker (LRV 12.0 vs 13.8), more yellow/warm, more muted.
- Hale Navy (Benjamin Moore HC-154, ΔE 12.6) is darker (LRV 8.4 vs 13.8), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Gentleman's Gray (Benjamin Moore 2062-20, ΔE 13.3) is darker (LRV 7.3 vs 13.8), more yellow/warm, more muted.