Behr Essex Blue S500-2
| Code: | S500-2 |
| Name: | Essex Blue |
| Brand: | Behr |
What color is Behr Essex Blue?
Immerse yourself in the serene depths of Behr S500-2 Essex Blue. This rich and elegant shade evokes a sense of calm and sophistication, making it an ideal choice for creating a luxurious atmosphere in any space. Pair Essex Blue with crisp white accents to enhance its depth and create a timeless look. For a more contemporary feel, complement this color with soft greys or subtle blush tones. Whether used as a focal point or as a subtle accent, Essex Blue is a versatile hue that adds a touch of refinement to any room. Elevate your interior design with the classic charm of Essex Blue by Behr.
Behr Essex Blue reviews
View the photos of real spaces painted with this that were not included in specific categories.Close-ups, painted furniture, storages and dressers, hallways, stairs and ceilings.
Try before you buy

100% accurate
reusable paint samples
Peel, stick,
and repeat
Twice painted
with real paint
Next day
delivery
What are Behr Essex Blue undertones?
The undertone of Essex Blue can be accurately described as a Blue hue, as is apparent from the color space provided. By isolating the pure hue and eliminating any tints, tones, and shades, we were able to precisely determine its undertone. This approach has proven to be more accurate than traditional methods of defining undertones on a white background, which are now considered outdated.
HEX value
HEX value:
#B0CCDA
RGB code:
176, 204, 218
Is Behr Essex Blue S500-2 cool or warm?
With a hue of 200° thisBluerefers cool paint shade according to HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) on the color wheel.
S500-2 Essex Blue HSL code: 200, 36%, 77%
Hue - degree on a color wheel from 0 to 360. 0 is red, 120 is green, and 240 is blue.
Saturation is expressed as a percentage. At 0%, it appears as a shade of grey, and at 100%, it is in full color..
Lightness is also a percentage value. 0% is black, and 100% is white.
- Cooler hues have a calm and relaxation effect
- Cool blue shades make a room feel sleek, fresh, and modern, perfect for bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices where a sense of calm and sophistication is desired.
- Using mid-tone cool colors like soft greys and muted blues can help create a calming and modern look in rooms like home offices, bathrooms, and bedrooms. But avoid using these shades in rooms without natural light, as they may look dull.
Act like a pro: Mixing warm and cool shades is a must have to get harmonius interior. Add accents that contrast with the primary color to create visual balance. If your walls are a warm color, don’t forget to add accent in cold colors (furniture, art, décor). A good practice is too use a complementary color scheme.
How light temperature affects Essex Blue
Natural Lighting. During the day, natural light shifts from about 2000 K at sunrise/sunset to 5500–6500 K at noon.
In addition, natural‑light temperature depends on its direction:
| Direction of sunlight | Visible temp. | Hue | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Cool | Bluish | All day |
| East | Warm | Yellow | Before noon |
| West | Warm | Orange‑red | After noon |
| South | Warm | Orange‑yellow | All day |
Artificial Lighting. When choosing bulbs, pay attention to their color‑temperature (Kelvins).
Use the slider to see how this Blue shade looks under different lighting:


4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Behr Essex Blue:
Monochromatic color scheme
This scheme consists of various shades, tints, and tones of a single color. While it offers a perfect combination of hues, without accent décor it may become monotonous.
Lighter shades
S500-2
Essex Blue
Darker shades
Complementary color scheme
This color scheme is a combination of two shades that are opposite each other on the color wheel. The high contrast between these colors creates a vibrant and dynamic visual effect. For the color Essex Blue with a green hue, complementary colors are those with a red hue close to 20, such as Behr Autumn Ashes and Piano Brown.
LRV of Essex Blue
Essex Blue has an LRV of 55.92% and refers to Light colors that reflect most of the incident light. Why LRV is important?
Light Reflectance Value measures the amount of visible and usable light that reflects from a painted surface.
Simply put, the higher the LRV of a paint color, the brighter the room you will get.
The scale goes from 0% (absolute black, absorbing all light) to 100% (pure white, reflecting all light).
Act like a pro: When choosing paint with an LRV of 55.92%, pay attention to your bulbs' brightness. Light brightness is measured in lumens. The lower the paint's LRV, the higher lumen level you need. Every square foot of room needs at least 40 lumens. That means for a 200 ft2 living room you’ll need about 8000 lumens of light – e.g., eight 1000 lm bulbs.
Color codes
We have collected almost every possible color code you could ever need. To copy the code, just click the icon to the right of it.
| Format | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | #b0ccda | |
| RGB Decimal | 176, 204, 218 | |
| RGB Percent | 69.02%, 80.00%, 85.49% | |
| HSV | Hue: 200° Saturation: 19.27% Value: 85.49% | |
| HSL | hsl(200, 36, 77) | |
| CMYK | Cyan: 19.27 Magenta: 6.42 Yellow: 0.0 Key: 14.51 | |
| YIQ | Y: 197.224 I: -21.184 Q: -1.566 | |
| XYZ | X: 52.148 Y: 57.476 Z: 74.657 | |
| CIE Lab | L:80.447 a:-6.392 b:-10.073 | |
| CIE Luv | L:80.447 u:-15.254 v:-14.52 | |
| Decimal | 11586778 | |
| Hunter Lab | 75.813, -9.892, -5.317 |
Color equivalents
M500-2
Early September
Behr
CW-655
Greenhow Blue
Benjamin Moore

SW 6506
Vast Sky
Sherwin Williams

836
Sea View
Benjamin Moore
PPU14-14
Crystal Waters
Behr
S480-2
Sea Wind
Behr
799
Mediterranean Breeze
Benjamin Moore
2062-60
Blue Hydrangea
Benjamin Moore
SW 6513
Take Five
Sherwin Williams
835
Grand Rapids
Benjamin Moore
SW 6520
Honest Blue
Sherwin Williams

MQ5-50
Opal Waters
Behr
1655
Blue Bay Marina
Benjamin Moore
HDC-CT-16A
English Hollyhock
Behr
PPU14-16
Millstream
Behr
M510-2
Life At Sea
Behr
SW 6527
Blissful Blue
Sherwin Williams

























