Illuminating adds visible warmth and energy — works well in north-facing rooms that need a lift and in spaces where cheerful is the goal. At LRV 81 it reflects plenty of light, which makes it well-suited for north-facing rooms and smaller spaces that benefit from extra brightness. Because it's a fully saturated example, it lands strongest as a single accent wall or large architectural feature rather than the dominant whole-room color. Skip it in north-facing rooms with cool light, where yellows can read acidic or greenish rather than cheerful.
Ref. #F6E9B6 · 122-3DB
Illuminating
81%LRV Value
Illuminating Technical Profile
What color is Dutch Boy Illuminating (122-3DB)? It's a light cool yellow — hex #F6E9B6, LRV 81. The closest cross-brand equivalent to Illuminating is PPG Banana Brulee — a near-identical match on the wall, with Dunn-Edwards Lazy Daisy and Sherwin-Williams Icy Lemonade also close. With a Light Reflectance Value of 81, Illuminating reflects a generous amount of light, making it well-suited for north-facing rooms or smaller spaces that benefit from extra brightness. Pair it with crisp whites like Pure White for trim, oak or maple woods, and brass hardware. Navy or deep teal accents balance the brightness without competing for attention. As a fully saturated example, it reads as a confident statement color — best deployed as a single accent wall or large architectural feature rather than a whole-room dominant. Under 2700K warm bulbs Illuminating reads more golden or buttery. Under 4000K daylight bulbs it stays truer to the chip, though saturated yellows can edge toward green in mixed light. Saturated colors amplify lighting effects more than muted ones: warm bulbs deepen and enrich, cool daylight sharpens and slightly cools the same hex.
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Colors Similar to Illuminating
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Illuminating
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Illuminating
#F6E9B6
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#ACC969
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Illuminating
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Illuminating Room Palettes
Color schemes built around this color — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Warm & Inviting
Warm tones with cozy appeal — welcoming and comfortable
Cool & Calm
Cool hues with soft contrast — serene and restful
Bold Contrast
Complementary hues with punch — dynamic and striking
Similar Dutch Boy Colors
Other Dutch Boy colors close to Illuminating.
More yellow colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the yellow family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Illuminating — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match Illuminating from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Illuminating are Banana Brulee by PPG (a near-identical match), Lazy Daisy by Dunn-Edwards (a near-identical match), Icy Lemonade by Sherwin-Williams (a near-identical match). These are ranked with the CIEDE2000 color-difference formula, which scores how similar two colors actually look to the eye rather than matching them by name — so they're the best options for getting Illuminating's look in a brand your local store carries. Always confirm with a physical sample, since sheen and lighting shift the final result.
What is the LRV of Illuminating?
Illuminating has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 81.2, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white. That makes it a light, reflective color that bounces plenty of light back into a room — well-suited to north-facing spaces, hallways, and smaller rooms that need to feel brighter. LRV is the most reliable guide to how light or dark a paint will read in a real room — more dependable than the swatch on your screen, which varies by monitor.
Explore More with Illuminating
Related Reading
How to Match Paint Colors Across Brands
The science behind Delta E and CIEDE2000 — find a Behr equivalent of any Sherwin-Williams shade, or a Benjamin Moore alternative when your store is out of stock.
Paint Sheen Guide
Flat, eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss — the right finish for Illuminating depends on the room. Here's how to choose.