Buoyant Blue is the most flexible accent family in residential paint — works as both a whole-room neutral when desaturated and a confident statement when saturated. At LRV 80 it reflects plenty of light, which makes it well-suited for north-facing rooms and smaller spaces that benefit from extra brightness. Skip it only if your fixed finishes (flooring, stone, tile) already lean hard warm or cool enough to clash — otherwise it's one of the most forgiving families.
Ref. #D8EBE6 · 6483
Buoyant Blue
80%LRV Value
Buoyant Blue Technical Profile
What color is Sherwin-Williams Buoyant Blue (6483)? It's a light cool green — hex #D8EBE6, LRV 80. The closest cross-brand equivalent to Buoyant Blue is Dutch Boy Faint Blue — a near-identical match on the wall, with Hirshfield's Dillard's Blue and Valspar Dancing Mist also close. With a Light Reflectance Value of 80, Buoyant Blue 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 off-whites like Simply White, walnut or rift-cut oak floors, and mixed metals — brass for warmth, matte black for grounding. Terracotta and rust accents add warm contrast. 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. Greens shift the most under different light. 2700K warms them toward olive or yellow-green; 4000K daylight reveals their true tone. Bluer greens especially benefit from north-facing daylight. 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 Buoyant Blue
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Faint Blue
Dutch Boy
Nearly identical
Dillard's Blue
Hirshfield's
Nearly identical
Dancing Mist
Valspar
Nearly identical
Tropical Dream
PPG
Nearly identical
Spring Mint
Benjamin Moore
Nearly identical
Dillard’s Blue
Vista Paint
Nearly identical
Sparkling Spring
Behr
Nearly identical
Aquamarine
Dunn-Edwards
Nearly identical
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Buoyant Blue
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Buoyant Blue
#D8EBE6
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#85A4AD
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Buoyant Blue
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Buoyant 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 Sherwin-Williams Colors
Other Sherwin-Williams colors close to Buoyant Blue.
More green colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the green family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Buoyant Blue — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match Buoyant Blue from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Buoyant Blue are Faint Blue by Dutch Boy (a near-identical match), Dillard's Blue by Hirshfield's (a near-identical match), Dancing Mist by Valspar (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 Buoyant 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 Buoyant Blue?
Buoyant Blue has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 79.7, 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 Buoyant 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 Buoyant Blue depends on the room. Here's how to choose.