Blue Collar is a calming choice — works as both a whole-house neutral when lightened and a dramatic anchor when deepened to navy. At LRV 50 it sits in the comfortable mid-light range — bright enough for living areas, soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. 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 low-light north-facing rooms unless you want a deliberately cool, cocooning effect, since blue can read chilly there.
Ref. #9CBFE3 · 09BB 51/218
Blue Collar
50%LRV Value
Blue Collar Technical Profile
What color is PPG Blue Collar (09BB 51/218)? It's a medium cool blue — hex #9CBFE3, LRV 50. The closest cross-brand equivalent to Blue Collar is Hirshfield's Innuendo — a near-identical match on the wall, with Benjamin Moore Swiss Blue and Vista Paint Innuendo also close. At LRV 50, Blue Collar 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. 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. 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. 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 Blue Collar
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Blue Collar
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Blue Collar
#9CBFE3
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#7777BB
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Blue Collar
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Blue Collar 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 PPG Colors
Other PPG colors close to Blue Collar.
More blue colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the blue family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Blue Collar — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match Blue Collar from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Blue Collar are Innuendo by Hirshfield's (a near-identical match), Swiss Blue by Benjamin Moore (a near-identical match), Innuendo 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 Blue Collar'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 Blue Collar?
Blue Collar has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 49.9, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white. That makes it a mid-depth color with real presence — strong on accent walls, libraries, and rooms with good natural light. 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 Blue Collar
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 Blue Collar depends on the room. Here's how to choose.