BLUES

Abstract Idea

#B9D1DD

RGB 185, 209, 221 · HSL 200°, 35%, 80% · CMYK 16, 5, 0, 13

Abstract Idea is #B9D1DD in HEX — rgb(185, 209, 221), hsl(200°, 35%, 80%), cmyk(16%, 5%, 0%, 13%).

Abstract Idea pulls into the airy end of the blues spectrum — HSL 200°, 35%, 80%. The muted saturation makes it quiet but present, and the hue reads cool. In interior projects it shines on bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices — for calm, focused environments. Reads best alongside warm white trim, oak or walnut, brass or matte black hardware.

Color Codes

HEX#B9D1DD

RGB185, 209, 221

HSL200°, 35%, 80%

HSV200°, 16%, 87%

CMYK16, 5, 0, 13

Decimal12177885

CSS RGBrgb(185, 209, 221)

CSS HSLhsl(200, 35%, 80%)

Paint Matches — this color across 16 brands

Hallman-Lindsay

Abstract Idea 643

Exact match

Benjamin Moore

Grand 835

ΔE 0.7 · #BBD2DD

Vista Paint

Swirling Water K-158

ΔE 0.7 · #BAD2DF

Dulux

Sea Breeze Half S36B1H

ΔE 1.2 · #B7CED9

Behr

Millstream PPU14-16

ΔE 1.5 · #B8D4E0

Kilz

Mountain Stream TB-44

ΔE 1.6 · #B3CEDA

Dunn-Edwards

Two Harbors DE5813

ΔE 1.8 · #BED3E1

PPG

Constellation 1155-4

ΔE 2.2 · #BCCEDB

Colorhouse

Dream .03 Dream-03

ΔE 2.3 · #B4CBD9

Valspar

Schoolboy Blue 4007-5B

ΔE 2.3 · #BCD1D9

Sherwin-Williams

Wondrous Blue SW6807

ΔE 2.7 · #B8CDDD

IKEA

IKEA050 50

ΔE 3.5 · #C6D7E3

Dutch Boy

Simply Sparkling DCP-0594

ΔE 6.9 · #BCCEE6

Farrow & Ball

Parma Gray 27

ΔE 7.5 · #B2BFC5

RAL

Telegrey 4 7047

ΔE 10.3 · #D0D0D0

Kobra

Silver 47

ΔE 10.3 · #CDCECD

Light Reflectance & Undertone

Light Reflectance Value (LRV)

61/100

Light

0 · DarkLight · 100

Reflects plenty of light and keeps spaces feeling open and airy while still showing clear colour. A safe, flexible choice for living areas.

Undertone

TemperatureCool MasstoneBlue UndertoneViolet

Reads as a cool blue with a violet undertone showing through, especially in daylight. Pair trim and adjacent colours to either calm or amplify that undertone.

Color Theory

Complementary

#B9D1DD

#DEC6BA

Analogous

#BADED8

#B9D1DD

#BAC0DE

Triadic

#B9D1DD

#DEBAD2

#D2DEBA

Split-Complementary

#B9D1DD

#DEBAC0

#DED8BA

Tetradic

#B9D1DD

#D8BADE

#DEC6BA

#C0DEBA

Monochromatic

#538EAC

#87B0C5

#B9D1DD

#EEF4F7

Rectangle

#B9D1DD

#C6BADE

#DEC6BA

#D2DEBA

Compound

#B9D1DD

#BAC0DE

#DEC6BA

#DED8BA

Variations

Lighter

#C8DBE4

#D7E3EA

#E9EFF2

Darker

#81AEC5

#457F9B

#274A5C

Saturation

#C7CED1

#BAD2DE

#AAD7EE

Interior Use

Best Rooms

bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices

Best Uses

main walls, ceilings, trim, cabinetry

Pairs With

warm white trim, oak or walnut, brass or matte black hardware

Accessibility (WCAG)

vs White

1.59:1

Fail

vs Black

13.23:1

AAA

Deuteranopia

#B9D1DD

#C5CADE

Original → Simulated

Protanopia

#B9D1DD

#CDCDDB

Original → Simulated

Tritanopia

#B9D1DD

#B9D3D0

Original → Simulated

Color Psychology

Focused · Cooling

Abstract Idea lowers the temperature of a room — useful in south-facing rooms that overheat visually, and in home offices where you want a clear head. Pair with warm wood and brass to keep it from reading clinical.

SymbolismTrust, depth, stability

PersonalityClear-headed, dependable, contemplative

focustrustcalmofficebedroomdepth

How it looks under different light

#CAC9C1

Warm Bulb 2700K

Incandescent / soft white LED — pulls colour toward yellow/amber.

#B9D1DD

Daylight 5500K

Midday natural light or daylight-spec LED — closest to the paint chip.

#B7CEE5

Cool Bulb 6500K

Cool white LED / overcast daylight — pulls colour toward blue.

Pairs With

#E9EBEC

Trim

Matched off-white

Same hue at 92% lightness — trim reads coordinated, not stark.

#F7F7F8

Ceiling

Whisper tint

Near-white with a hint of the hero's undertone — ceiling feels intentional.

#C6A595

Accent

Complementary punch

Hue +180°, slightly muted for paint vs. screen — use on a door, frame, or single piece.

#574738

Floor

Walnut neutral

Warm mid-brown grounds the scheme regardless of hero hue.

Paint Info

Brand · Product Line

Benjamin Moore / Regal Select Interior

Recommended Finishes

Eggshell (walls) · Pearl (trim) · Matte (ceiling)

Eggshell hides imperfections on main walls while keeping the color rich; pearl on trim adds subtle sheen and easier cleaning; flat matte on ceilings prevents glare.

Best Surfaces

Primary walls · Trim · Ceilings · Furniture

Coverage & Dry Time

Typical coverage 350-400 sq ft per gallon over a primed surface.

Touch-dry in ~1 hour. Recoat after 4 hours. Full cure 7-14 days.

Primer

Standard primer is adequate.

Application Tip

Use a 9" microfiber roller on walls and a 2.5" angled sash brush for trim cuts. Two coats minimum for even depth.

Paint Calculator

Wall area (m²)

Coats

Coverage (m² / L)

You'll need

4.0 litres

1.06 US gallons · room for one touch-up coat. Buy slightly more to ensure single-batch match.

Code Snippets

CSS — color

color: #B9D1DD;

CSS — background

background-color: #B9D1DD;

CSS Variable

--color-abstract-idea: #B9D1DD;

Tailwind v3 — config

colors: { 'abstract-idea': '#B9D1DD' }

Tailwind — arbitrary

bg-[#B9D1DD] text-[#B9D1DD]

SCSS

$abstract-idea: #B9D1DD;

Similar Colors

Grand Rapids

#BAD1DC · ΔE 0.6

Watercolor

#BCD4DD · ΔE 1.9

Mediterranean Breeze

#B7D4E2 · ΔE 2.0

Soft Sky

#C1D7E4 · ΔE 2.5

Blue Hydrangea

#B3D3E1 · ΔE 2.7

Ashwood Gray

#B9D3DA · ΔE 2.8

Bright and Early

#C3D8E1 · ΔE 3.2

Intuition

#B7CED4 · ΔE 3.4

Built by DSGN.HOUSE Updated 2026

Our color tools run on our own catalogue of 26,000+ real paint colors across 16 brands — Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Behr, Dulux, RAL and more — with the color math (HSL and CIELAB matching) computed in-house, not scraped from summaries. Every color you pick maps to a real, buyable paint with its code, so what you see here you can actually take to the store. We review and update these tools and their data regularly.

Created by Denis Kataev, founder of DSGN.HOUSE — a software engineer and digital entrepreneur building professional color-design tools for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color is #B9D1DD?

#B9D1DD is Abstract Idea, a soft blue with a cool undertone.

Is #B9D1DD warm or cool?

Abstract Idea reads cool, which influences how it interacts with surrounding tones and natural light.

What rooms work best with Abstract Idea?

Abstract Idea works well in bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices. Designers typically use it for main walls, ceilings, trim, cabinetry.

What colors pair well with Abstract Idea?

Abstract Idea pairs naturally with warm white trim, oak or walnut, brass or matte black hardware. Its complementary color is also a strong contrast option for accents.

Where can I download Abstract Idea?

You can download Abstract Idea on DSGN.HOUSE in 15 designer formats including CSS gradient, Figma, Procreate swatches, Tailwind config, Adobe ASE, SVG, and 4K wallpapers — all free.

What's the hex code for Abstract Idea?

The hex code is #B9D1DD. In RGB it's 185, 209, 221, and in HSL it's 200°, 35%, 80%.

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