Tender Blue is a calming choice — works as both a whole-house neutral when lightened and a dramatic anchor when deepened to navy. At LRV 55 it sits in the comfortable mid-light range — bright enough for living areas, soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. Skip it in low-light north-facing rooms unless you want a deliberately cool, cocooning effect, since blue can read chilly there.
Ref. #A9C9D7 · 236-3DB
Tender Blue
55%LRV Value
Tender Blue Technical Profile
What color is Dutch Boy Tender Blue (236-3DB)? It's a light cool blue — hex #A9C9D7, LRV 55. The closest cross-brand equivalent to Tender Blue is Sherwin-Williams Vast Sky — a near-identical match on the wall, with Valspar Summer Rain and Vista Paint Soft Blue also close. At LRV 55, Tender Blue sits in the comfortable mid-light range — bright enough for living areas yet soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. Pair it with cool whites like Chantilly Lace, walnut or rift-cut oak floors, and brushed nickel or polished chrome hardware. Brass accents add warmth for a layered look. At mid saturation, this color sits at a flexible mid-point — bold enough to anchor a room without dominating, and pairs cleanly with both crisp and creamy whites. Blues stay crisp under 4000K+ cool LEDs. Under 2700K warm bulbs they can read grayer or shift slightly purple — particularly true for mid-tone and saturated blues. At mid saturation the lighting shift is moderate but real — sample under both warm-bulb evening light and cool-daylight morning light before committing.
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Colors Similar to Tender Blue
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Tender Blue
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Tender Blue
#A9C9D7
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#838BAF
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Tender Blue
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Tender Blue 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 Tender Blue.
More blue colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the blue family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Tender Blue — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match Tender Blue from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Tender Blue are Vast Sky by Sherwin-Williams (a near-identical match), Summer Rain by Valspar (a near-identical match), Soft Blue by Vista Paint (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 Tender Blue'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 Tender Blue?
Tender Blue has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 55.1, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white. That makes it a mid-light color — bright enough for living areas yet soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. 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 Tender Blue
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 Tender Blue depends on the room. Here's how to choose.