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Inky Blue SW 9149
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, Inky Blue sits at L* 46.2, a* -6.9, b* -15.5. Its hue angle is 246° and its chroma is 17.0, 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 9%.
LRV 15.4: dark
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 15.4, Inky Blue is lighter than 20% of Sherwin-Williams colors. Absorbs most light. Good for accent walls, cabinets, doors and exteriors; needs good lighting indoors.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Inky 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgian Bay | CC-782 | 1.29 | Very close | |
| Mozart Blue | 1665 | 1.29 | Very close | |
| Bedford Blue | 1679 | 1.67 | Very close |
Closest Behr match to Inky 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shipyard | S500-6 | 1.67 | Very close | |
| Neptune Blue | 570D-6 | 2.14 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Regatta Bay | 550F-6 | 2.60 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down Pour | SW 6516 | 2.13 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Santorini Blue | SW 7607 | 2.76 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Turkish Tile | SW 7610 | 4.00 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Denim | SW 6523 | 4.44 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Smoky Blue | SW 7604 | 4.60 | Similar, clearly different | |
| Distance | SW 6243 | 4.78 | Similar, clearly different |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- St. Bart's SW 7614 · lighter, LRV 18.4
- Refuge SW 6228 · lighter, LRV 18.7
- Searching Blue SW 6536 · lighter, LRV 20.6
- Denim SW 6523 · darker, LRV 13.8
- Revel Blue SW 6530 · darker, LRV 13.8
- Santorini Blue SW 7607 · darker, LRV 13.8
Colors that go with Inky Blue
Sherwin-Williams's own coordinating colors for Inky Blue:
- Natural Linen SW 9109
- Cocoa Whip SW 9084
- Icicle SW 6238
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Sherwin-Williams color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Tea Chest SW 6103 · complementary (180°)
- Silken Peacock SW 9059 · analogous (−30°)
- Mesmerize SW 6544 · analogous (+30°)
- Plum Dandy SW 6284 · triadic (120°)
- Greenfield SW 6439 · triadic (240°)
Inky Blue vs popular colors
- Van Deusen Blue (Benjamin Moore HC-156, ΔE 9.1) is darker (LRV 12.0 vs 15.4), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.
- Aegean Teal (Benjamin Moore 2136-40, ΔE 12.4) is lighter (LRV 25.1 vs 15.4), more yellow/warm, more green, more muted.
- Hale Navy (Benjamin Moore HC-154, ΔE 15.2) is darker (LRV 8.4 vs 15.4), more yellow/warm, more red/pink, more muted.