Dusty Aqua Alt 2 → Behr
The closest Behr matches for PPG Dusty Aqua Alt 2 (PPG1146-3), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Behr Equivalent for Dusty Aqua Alt 2
If you love PPG Dusty Aqua Alt 2 but need a Behr 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 Behr, your local store does not carry PPG, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Dusty Aqua Alt 2 (PPG1146-3) is a medium blue with soft aquamarine undertones. A soft aquamarine. Lighter and more delicate than Dusty Aqua. The color of a shallow tropical lagoon. Refreshing and calming. To find a good Behr match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 58) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Dusty Aqua Alt 2 and every Behr 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 Behr match for Dusty Aqua Alt 2. Frozen Pond (PPU13-16) comes in with a Delta E of 2.2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Frozen Pond is the closest Behr option. Very close match.
Behr Matches for Dusty Aqua Alt 2
Frozen Pond is the closest Behr option. Very close match.
| Dusty Aqua Alt 2 | Frozen Pond | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 58 | 57 |
| Hex | #C6D4D3 | #C3CFD2 |
| Undertone | Soft Aquamarine | Cool Blue-Gray |
| Family | Blue | Blue |
Undertone Comparison
Dusty Aqua Alt 2 has soft aquamarine undertones. A soft aquamarine. Lighter and more delicate than Dusty Aqua. The color of a shallow tropical lagoon. Refreshing and calming.
Frozen Pond has cool blue-gray undertones. A light, airy blue-gray with a cool, coastal quality. Soft and serene without being dark.
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. Dusty Aqua Alt 2's soft aquamarine quality may read differently than Frozen Pond's cool 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
Dusty Aqua Alt 2 in Your Room
The aquamarine is soft and dreamy. In bright rooms, the blue-green plays together. In dim rooms, a cool calming neutral.
Frozen Pond in Your Room
The blue is soft and calming. In bright rooms, it reads as a light blue-gray. In dim rooms, it's a cool neutral.
LRV and Brightness
Dusty Aqua Alt 2 has an LRV of 58, while Frozen Pond has an LRV of 57. 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 Dusty Aqua Alt 2
PPG recommends Dusty Aqua Alt 2 for: bathroom, bedroom, nursery, laundry room, sunroom. With an LRV of 58, this is a medium color that is in the medium-light range, reflecting enough light to keep rooms feeling open while adding more color and depth than a white or off-white. It works well in living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways where you want warmth and character without darkness.
Frozen Pond is recommended for: bathroom, bedroom, nursery, laundry room, sunroom. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Frozen Pond in the same rooms you planned for Dusty Aqua Alt 2.
Dusty Aqua Alt 2 in Other Brands
Looking for Dusty Aqua Alt 2 equivalents in other brands besides Behr? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Behr match for Dusty Aqua Alt 2 (PPG1146-3) is Frozen Pond (PPU13-16) with a Delta E of 2.2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Frozen Pond is the closest Behr 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. Dusty Aqua Alt 2 is a PPG color with soft aquamarine undertones and an LRV of 58. Frozen Pond is a Behr color with cool blue-gray undertones and an LRV of 57. With a Delta E of 2.2, 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 2.2, 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 Behr equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Behr. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Behr 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.