Midnight Blue → Valspar
The closest Valspar matches for Behr Midnight Blue (PPU15-18), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Valspar Equivalent for Midnight Blue
If you love Behr Midnight Blue but need a Valspar alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Valspar, your local store does not carry Behr, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Midnight Blue (PPU15-18) is a dark navy with blue-purple undertones. A deep, dramatic navy with subtle purple undertones. Rich and bold, with more purple lean than many navies. To find a good Valspar match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 5) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Midnight Blue and every Valspar color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
The good news: there is a strong Valspar match for Midnight Blue. London Coach (VR078B) comes in with a Delta E of 2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. London Coach is the closest Valspar option. Very close match.
Valspar Matches for Midnight Blue
London Coach is the closest Valspar option. Very close match.
| Midnight Blue | London Coach | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 5 | 5 |
| Hex | #323C4B | #343C48 |
| Undertone | Blue-Purple | Deep Blue-Gray |
| Family | Navy | Navy |
Undertone Comparison
Midnight Blue has blue-purple undertones. A deep, dramatic navy with subtle purple undertones. Rich and bold, with more purple lean than many navies.
London Coach has deep blue-gray undertones. A deep, distinguished navy-gray. Named for the classic London coach, it carries the same sense of refined tradition. More gray than a true navy, less stark than black. Dignified and timeless.
The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Midnight Blue's blue-purple quality may read differently than London Coach's deep blue-gray character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Midnight Blue in Your Room
In bright light, the blue dominates. In dim rooms, the purple undertone becomes more apparent. Reads as a dramatic, moody navy in most settings.
London Coach in Your Room
In bright light, the blue character shows through. In dim rooms, it approaches a sophisticated near-black. Under warm light, the gray softens it. A versatile dark accent color.
LRV and Brightness
Midnight Blue has an LRV of 5, while London Coach has an LRV of 5. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.
Best Rooms for Midnight Blue
Behr recommends Midnight Blue for: accent wall, front door, powder room, office, bedroom. With an LRV of 5, this is a dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.
London Coach is recommended for: front door, accent wall, exterior trim, shutters, powder room. The recommended applications differ slightly between brands, but the color's properties should work in the same rooms regardless of which brand you choose. Trust the LRV and undertone data more than the specific room suggestions, and always test in your actual space.
Midnight Blue in Other Brands
Looking for Midnight Blue equivalents in other brands besides Valspar? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Valspar match for Midnight Blue (PPU15-18) is London Coach (VR078B) with a Delta E of 2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. London Coach is the closest Valspar option. Very close match. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Midnight Blue is a Behr color with blue-purple undertones and an LRV of 5. London Coach is a Valspar color with deep blue-gray undertones and an LRV of 5. With a Delta E of 2, these are extremely close and most people will not spot the difference on a wall. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 2, these colors are close enough to use in separate rooms of the same house without a jarring difference. However, avoid painting them on adjacent walls in the same room, as even subtle differences become apparent at a hard edge where two paints meet. For the smoothest result, use one brand consistently within each connected space and reserve the other brand for rooms that are visually separated.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Valspar equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Valspar. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Valspar work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.