Stiffkey Blue → Valspar
The closest Valspar matches for Farrow & Ball Stiffkey Blue (No.281), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Valspar Equivalent for Stiffkey Blue
If you love Farrow & Ball Stiffkey 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 Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Stiffkey Blue (No.281) is a dark navy with blue-gray undertones. A deep, complex navy blue named after the Norfolk village. More gray and muted than Hague Blue, with a calm, scholarly quality. To find a good Valspar match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 7) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Stiffkey 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 Stiffkey Blue. London Coach (VR078B) comes in with a Delta E of 2.3, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. London Coach is the closest Valspar option. Very close match.
Valspar Matches for Stiffkey Blue
London Coach is the closest Valspar option. Very close match.
| Stiffkey Blue | London Coach | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 7 | 5 |
| Hex | #374352 | #343C48 |
| Undertone | Blue-Gray | Deep Blue-Gray |
| Family | Navy | Navy |
Undertone Comparison
Stiffkey Blue has blue-gray undertones. A deep, complex navy blue named after the Norfolk village. More gray and muted than Hague Blue, with a calm, scholarly quality.
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.
These two colors share the same undertone family, which is a good sign for a cross-brand swap. The undertone similarity means they will behave similarly as lighting changes throughout the day, and they should coordinate well with the same accent colors, trim, and furnishings.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Stiffkey Blue in Your Room
In bright light, it reads as a deep blue-gray. In dim rooms, it approaches a sophisticated near-black with blue depth. More restrained than Hague Blue.
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
Stiffkey Blue has an LRV of 7, 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 Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball recommends Stiffkey Blue for: accent wall, office, bedroom, powder room, front door. With an LRV of 7, 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.
Stiffkey Blue in Other Brands
Looking for Stiffkey Blue equivalents in other brands besides Valspar? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Valspar match for Stiffkey Blue (No.281) is London Coach (VR078B) with a Delta E of 2.3, 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. Stiffkey Blue is a Farrow & Ball color with blue-gray undertones and an LRV of 7. London Coach is a Valspar color with deep blue-gray undertones and an LRV of 5. With a Delta E of 2.3, the difference is subtle and mainly visible in direct side-by-side comparison. 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 2.3, 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.