Behr Opal Waters MQ5-50
| Code: | MQ5-50 |
| Name: | Opal Waters |
| Brand: | Behr |
What color is Behr Opal Waters?
Behr's Opal Waters (MQ5-50) is a serene and calming hue that evokes the peacefulness of a tranquil oasis. This soft and ethereal Wall Color beautifully pairs with shades of misty gray, oceanic blues, and sandy neutrals to create a harmonious color palette inspired by a coastal retreat. Light and breezy, Opal Waters invites a sense of relaxation and sophistication into any space, making it ideal for bedrooms, bathrooms, or living areas seeking a touch of understated elegance. Transform your room into a soothing sanctuary with Opal Waters as the main feature, complemented by accents of nature-inspired tones and organic textures to enhance its tranquil ambiance.
Behr Opal Waters 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.
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What are Behr Opal Waters undertones?
The undertone of Opal Waters 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to be more accurate than traditional methods of defining undertones on a white background, which are now considered outdated.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:
#B1C6D1
RGB code:
177, 198, 209
Is Behr Opal Waters MQ5-50 cool or warm?
With a hue of 201° thisBluerefers cool paint shade according to HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) on the color wheel.
MQ5-50 Opal Waters HSL code: 201, 26%, 76%
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 Opal Waters
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 Opal Waters:
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
MQ5-50
Opal Waters
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 Opal Waters with a green hue, complementary colors are those with a red hue close to 21, such as Behr Autumn Ashes and Piano Brown.
LRV of Opal Waters
Opal Waters has an LRV of 53.28% and refers to Light Medium colors that reflect half 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 53.28%, 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 | #b1c6d1 | |
| RGB Decimal | 177, 198, 209 | |
| RGB Percent | 69.41%, 77.65%, 81.96% | |
| HSV | Hue: 201° Saturation: 15.31% Value: 81.96% | |
| HSL | hsl(201, 26, 76) | |
| CMYK | Cyan: 15.31 Magenta: 5.26 Yellow: 0.0 Key: 18.04 | |
| YIQ | Y: 192.975 I: -16.049 Q: -1.019 | |
| XYZ | X: 49.83 Y: 54.338 Z: 68.167 | |
| CIE Lab | L:78.658 a:-4.839 b:-7.89 | |
| CIE Luv | L:78.658 u:-11.711 v:-11.282 | |
| Decimal | 11650769 | |
| Hunter Lab | 73.714, -8.334, -3.229 |
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