Dusty Blue Paint Colors: 8 Go-to Picks from Sherwin Williams

When Sherwin Williams announced Upward SW 6239 as the Color of Year 2024 and Benjamin Moore added Polar Sky as a 2024 trend color. I knew y’all would asking me for other soft blue paint colors.

Upward is one of those blue gray paint colors that evokes a sense of calm. It’s a soft blue like chambray and feels classic and timeless.

If you are looking for time tested go-to blue gray paint colors that interior designers use, you’ve come to the right place!

Every year I scope out the annual paint color trends from the major paint brands. I’ve developed a deep library of my favorite blue grays from Sherwin Williams. I am your go-to friend for that perfect paint color 🙂

Best Dusty Blue Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams

NOTE: All monitors will display colors differently. Always purchase a paint sample and test in your own home.

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What are Dusty Blue Paint Colors?

You most likely have heard of blue gray paint colors or “grayish blue”. Blue gray and dusty blue are synonymous with each other.

The “dusty” portion of this color means it is a blue paint color with a gray undertone. Simple right?

They also can be referred to as powdery blue with a hint of gray underneath.

If you aren’t familiar with paint color undertones, read this post where I teach you what they are and how to find them.

What makes dusty blue paint colors so easy to use, is the gray undertone softens the blue making it a neutral blue.

Even Joanna Gaines agrees her favorite dusty blue paint color is Rainy Days from her Magnolia line.

Rainy Days is the perfect mix of blue gray that comes in wall paint, spray paint, paint for cabinets and exterior door. You can buy a sample here.

Looking for blue paint colors with a gray undertones will help you avoid harsh or bright blues that remind you of a baby’s nursery!

Are blue-gray paint colors the same as gray-blue gray paint colors?

Hopefully I can explain this really simply plus share a couple of examples to show the difference.

• When looking for blue-gray paint colors (dusty blue), you are looking for the dominate color of blue with a gray undertone.
• When looking for gray-blue paint colors, you are looking for the dominate color of gray with a blue undertone.

As you look at paint color swatches at the paint store, for a blue-gray you would start in the section of neutral blue paint colors. Then look for a blue with a gray undertone.

When trying to find a gray-blue paint color, you would start with the grays first and look for a gray with a blue undertone.

In the picture above, stay away from the really bright blues at the top and gravitate toward the more muted blues blue gray (dusty blue) in the middle and at the bottom.

Popular Dusty Blue Paint Colors from My Home

My home is FILLED with dusty blue paint colors check out my “Best Blue Paint Colors” home tour here.

I chose a dusty blue in my kitchen remodel on both the walls, kitchen island and perimeter cabinets.

If my home was a Sherwin Williams paint color strip, it would be 222!

I’ve used several of the dusty blues around my home and even for the exterior too!

Dusty blues can range in value from light to dark. I’ll explain more about that next.

What are the easiest to use soft blue gray paint colors?

What makes a dusty blue “soft” is how light or dark the color is along with the gray undertone.

When pulling together my top picks I stayed with the similar value of paint color (LRV).

They are all similar in value (how dark or light the color is) based on the LRV or Light Reflectivity Value. It’s on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being pure white and reflecting the most light.

All of these colors are in the mid-range of LRV (mid-tones) making them easy to use in just about any room of your home. Here is a blog post about choosing paint colors to help you.

Since Upward (the Sherwin Williams 2024 Color of the Year) has an LRV of 57, I found similar value paint colors so they are not too dark and are easier to use in a variety of lighting settings.

If you are looking at a paint swatch drawdown, it would be a paint color typically 1st to 2nd down from the top.

Since determining the undertone of any paint color is important, I’m also going to include the RGB mix of the color.

This shows you the balance of Red (R), Green (G) and Blue (B). The higher the number the more of that color is in the undertone of the paint.

What are the best dusty blue paint colors from Sherwin Williams?

Now onto my 8 favorite dusty blue (blue gray) paint colors for you to explore in your home.

As a bonus, there are MORE than 8 dusty blue paint colors throughout this article because I am included the blue gray colors from around my home too!

Dusty blue paint colors are soothing and perfect for spaces where you want to a calm look and feel.

Where to Use Dusty Blue Paint Colors

• Bedroom
• Bathroom
• Living Room
• Dining Room
• Kitchen
• Front Door
• Home Exterior
• Cabinets
• Furniture

Not only are dusty blues or gray blues great for walls, but also for cabinets and doors too!

Their neutral gray undertone make them easy to use in just about any paint project.

Paint Color	Color Number	LRV
Upward	6239	57
Niebla Azul	9137	53
Krypton	6247	52
Sleepy Blue	6225	58
Samovar Silver	6233	51
Stardew	9138	43
Sleepy Blue	6225	58
Dockside Blue	7601	43

Most Popular Blue Gray Paint Colors

THE dusty blue paint color of the year is Upward SW 6239, so let’s start with this beautiful color first.

1) Upward, SW 6239

This beautiful blue is perfect for all rooms, but I especially love it for a bedroom and for cabinets.

It is the perfect soft blue for a kitchen with bright white cabinets for a crisp clean look.

A perfect cool undertone blue for cabinets in both bathrooms and kitchens. Or maybe try a two toned kitchen with an island in Niebla Azul.

You can see how well it works with black and white for a classic look.

3) Krypton, 6247

If you are looking for a calming soft blue for any interior space this is your answer!

It’s an easy to use dusty blue paint color that will blend into the background and act like a neutral color.

This is such a versatile blue it would be beautiful on a front door or even the exterior of a home.

It’s the perfect mid-tone dusty blue with a gray undertone. Sleepy Blue just makes sense in a bedroom or bathroom.

I recently chose this color for a client as a complement to beautiful glass tile. It reflects light and is a great option for darker or windowless bathrooms.

This color reminds me a lot of Benjamin Moore Wales Gray, 1585 which I used in my primary bathroom remodel and LOVE.

To reflect more light, I reduced the tint strength by 50% to lighten the color.

The PERFECT deeper dusty blue for cabinets or even a front door.

Has depth of color, but remains a nice neutral blue that complements natural wood tones, cool whites, and black.

7) Sleepy Hollow, 9145

A versatile dusty blue for both walls and cabinets. It is a nice option for all types of living spaces including kitchens.

If you aren’t a fan of yellow undertones, steer clear of this option in favor of some of the others I have listed that have pure gray undertones.

8) Dockside Blue, 7601

Note the lower LRV of Dockside Blue. It’s going to reflect less light than the other gray blue ideas I’ve shared.

It is a great option for a kitchen island, since it has some depth and is the perfect complement to white perimeter cabinets.

If you need other paint color ideas for a kitchen island, check out Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets: 54 Paint Color Ideas.

Phew! That was a lot of paint color information to share. I sure help one of the colors will be perfect for your next painting project.

What paint colors work with dusty blue?

First, I’ll start with what colors DON’T work with the blue gray paint colors I am recommending.

All of them are consider “COOL” or “neutral” based on their predominate undertone.

Stay away from mixing dusty blues with WARM undertone paint colors. Instead choose COOL paint colors.

Dusty blues blend perfectly with cool or neutral white paint colors. Here are some of my favorites:

cool whites

• High Reflective White 7757
• Snowbound SW 7004
• Extra White SW 7006

neutral whites

• Pure White SW 7005
• Arcade White SW7100
• White Sand SW 9582

You can even mix blue grays with black or charcoal accents like doors or cabinets. My favorite black is Tricorn Black from Sherwin Williams.

If you want to learn more about mixing white undertones, read Painting White Walls with White Trim? Expert Tips!

Having fun finding the perfect colors and let me know in the comments your favorite paint colors I should know about!