Van Deusen Blue (BM HC-156)

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Van Deusen Blue (BM HC-156) is a very deep, cool blue from Benjamin Moore: LRV 12, so it reflects about 12 percent of the light that hits it.
Colors that go with Van Deusen Blue
Four Benjamin Moore colors picked for Van Deusen Blue by this site's color math: a trim white, a deeper blue, a quiet contrast from another family, a dark accent. Benjamin Moore did not choose these pairings.
Closest match in every other brand
Each brand's closest color to Van Deusen Blue, ranked by CIEDE2000 (deltaE): under 1.0 is indistinguishable, 1.0 to 2.3 very close, 2.3 to 5 noticeably different, over 5 clearly different.
| Brand | Closest color | Code | LRV | deltaE | How close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Indigo Batik | SW 7602 | 8 | 3.8 | noticeably different |
| Behr | Infinite Deep Sea | S500-7 | 9.7 | 1.3 | very close |
| Valspar | Hampton Surf | 4010-5 | 10 | 2.2 | very close |
| PPG Paints | Blue Fjord | 1163-6 | 11 | 2.4 | noticeably different |
Lighter and darker in Benjamin Moore
The Benjamin Moore blue colors nearest to Van Deusen Blue (LRV 12) by LRV.
Lighter than Van Deusen Blue
Darker than Van Deusen Blue
Color data
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
|---|---|
| Color code | HC-156 |
| Hex | #485B6E |
| RGB | 72, 91, 110 |
| HSL | 210°, 21%, 36% |
| LRV (light reflectance value) | 12 |
| Lab L*, a*, b* | 37.8, -2.2, -13.2 |
| Undertone | Cool Blue |
| Temperature | cool |
| Color family | Blue |
Same paint, two kinds of light
Van Deusen Blue (BM HC-156), published as #485B6E
#35526C
#5A646E
These swatches and the rooms above are a simulation, not a measurement. How the visualizer works
Similar shades from Benjamin Moore
Comparisons that include Van Deusen Blue (BM HC-156)
More from Benjamin Moore
Common questions
- What is the LRV of Van Deusen Blue (BM HC-156)?
- Van Deusen Blue has an LRV of 12. LRV runs from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white) and measures the share of light a surface reflects, so Van Deusen Blue is a very deep color.
- What is the closest match to Van Deusen Blue in another brand?
- Infinite Deep Sea (Behr S500-7) from Behr, at a deltaE of 1.3 (very close).
- Is Van Deusen Blue warm or cool?
- Benjamin Moore lists Van Deusen Blue as cool, with a Cool Blue undertone. Its Lab b* value is -13.2; a higher b* is warmer and yellower, a lower one cooler and bluer.
Sources: LRV and hex from Benjamin Moore technical data (verified 2026-10-02). Color differences are CIEDE2000 values computed by this site from the hex values (data snapshot 2026-10-01). Color names and codes belong to their manufacturers.