Paint colors · Behr, as published by the brand

Behr Absolute Zero N490-1: hex #CBD3D5, LRV and undertone

Absolute Zero (N490-1) from Behr is #CBD3D5 with an LRV of 64. It measures as a true neutral with a faint cool lean; black text on it reaches 13.81:1.

By Paul Gunder. Every value is computed from published standards; see how ColorPlum works.

Updated November 11, 2026

BehrAbsolute ZeroN490-1

Hex: #CBD3D5
RGB: 203, 211, 213
LRV: 64
Undertone: True neutral

LRV 64. Light: a light wall color that still reads as a color.

Almost no undertone (chroma 0.009): it reads as a clean white in most light.

Coordinating colors Behr suggests

Orchid HazeS110-2
Chilly BlueS500-4
Tinted IceM500-1
Frosted SageN400-2
Stonewashed BrownN190-2
Journey's EndS520-2

Closest colors from other brands

ΔE is the CIEDE2000 difference between the published values: under 2 is hard to tell apart on a wall, 2 to 5 is a visible but related shade. Always compare real chips before you buy.

Name, code, LRV and color value as published by Behr on its color page (checked 2026-11-11). A screen can only approximate paint: sheen, lighting and the screen itself all change it, so check a physical sample. ColorPlum is not affiliated with Behr.

ColorPlum swatchAbsolute Zeropale, grayish blue

HEX: #CBD3D5
RGB: rgb(203, 211, 213)
HSL: hsl(192, 11%, 82%)

Best text on it: black at 13.81:1

Build a palette Make a gradient Check contrast Wallpaper

Absolute Zero#CBD3D5

Every code for Absolute Zero

HEX#CBD3D5
RGBrgb(203, 211, 213)
HSLhsl(192, 11%, 82%)
HSV192°, 5%, 84%
CMYK5%, 1%, 0%, 16%
Lablab(84% -2.5 -2)
OKLCHoklch(86.1% 0.009 214.3)
Decimal13358037

Tints, shades and tones

From white to black in 10% steps, with Absolute Zero in the middle. Tap a code to copy it.

90%#FAFBFB
80%#F5F6F7
70%#EFF2F2
60%#EAEDEE
50%#E5E9EA
40%#E0E5E6
30%#DBE0E2
20%#D5DCDD
10%#D0D7D9
Base#CBD3D5
10%#B7BEC0
20%#A2A9AA
30%#8E9495
40%#7A7F80
50%#666A6B
60%#515455
70%#3D3F40
80%#292A2B
90%#141515

Tones (mixed with gray)

10%#C4CBCD
20%#BCC2C4
30%#B5BABC
40%#ADB2B3
50%#A6AAAB
60%#9EA1A2
70%#97999A
80%#8F9191
90%#888889

Matching colors

Complementary

#CBD3D5
#D5CDCB

Analogous

#CBD5D2
#CBD3D5
#CBCED5

Triadic

#CBD3D5
#D5CBD3
#D3D5CB

Split complementary

#CBD3D5
#D5CBCE
#D5D2CB

Tetradic (square)

#CBD3D5
#D2CBD5
#D5CDCB
#CED5CB

Monochromatic

#768B91
#A1AFB3
#CBD3D5
#F4F5F6
#F4F5F6

Absolute Zero in 3D color space

OKLab, the space ColorPlum does its math in: lightness runs up the pole, hue goes around it and saturation grows outward. The faint shell is every color a screen can show (saturation is drawn wider than lightness so hues separate). Drag to turn it.

Absolute Zero with its complement, its triad and its tint and shade

Absolute Zero
Triad #D5CBD3
Triad #D3D5CB
Complement
50% tint
50% shade

Absolute Zero in use

New collectionAutumn edit

Card body text stays dark for reading; absolute zero carries the header and the button.

Shop nowTag

Headline in Absolute Zero

A paragraph with a link in dark text, because this color is too light for text on white; use it for fills instead.

How it looks with color-vision deficiency

A simulation (Machado and colleagues, 2009) of how the color and its complement read without one type of cone.

Typical color vision#CBD3D5
Protanopia (no red cones)#D1D2D5
Deuteranopia (no green cones)#D0D1D5
Tritanopia (no blue cones)#C9D4D4

Contrast and readability

Pairing	Ratio	WCAG 2.2
as text on white	1.51:1	AA AA large AAA
as text on black	13.81:1	AA AA large AAA
white text on it	1.51:1	AA AA large AAA
black text on it	13.81:1	AA AA large AAA
on your background	1.32:1	AA AA large AAA

Try a background

Export

:root {
  --absolute-zero: #cbd3d5;
  --absolute-zero-rgb: 203 211 213;
  --absolute-zero-on: #000000;
}

On this page

Absolute Zero is Behr N490-1, and Behr files it under "Our Most Popular Blue Colors". The hex is #CBD3D5 and the RGB is 203, 211, 213. Blue leads red by ten steps, a small gap, so the blue in the collection name is a whisper rather than a statement.

The measured values

HSL is hsl(192, 11%, 82%) and the OKLCH reading is oklch(86.1% 0.009 214.3). With chroma at 0.009 the undertone measures as true neutral, though the hue angle of 214 points to the cool side, so any lean you notice will be toward blue-gray. Lab is lab(84% -2.5 -2).

The LRV is 64, a light value. It still reads as a color rather than a white, which makes it a good mid-way choice for people who find pure whites too clinical.

Behr's coordinating set

Behr lists Orchid Haze (S110-2), Chilly Blue (S500-4), Tinted Ice (M500-1), Frosted Sage (N400-2), Stonewashed Brown (N190-2) and Journey's End (S520-2). They have no pages here, so only names and codes are shown. The set mixes cool blues with one brown, which hints at how the color can sit next to wood.

Worked example

A bathroom with a north-facing window tends to look gray and flat. Absolute Zero on the walls at LRV 64 lifts it a little, while the faint cool angle keeps the room feeling clean. Pair it with a white tub and a walnut shelf, and the warmth of the wood will stand out against the cool wall.

On a website, an Absolute Zero banner with black headline text gives 13.81:1, while white text drops to 1.51:1. Use black.

One thing to keep in mind is that LRV 64 is lighter than most people expect from a color sold as a blue. Hold it up beside a pure white card and the tint appears; hold it by itself and it can pass for a pale gray. That is why a large sample, not a small chip, is the honest test. Move it between two walls, since light from different directions will push it a little warmer or cooler.

Other near colors

Behr's own French Silver (PPU18-05) is ΔE 5.9 away, clearly different. Silver Drop (790C-2) is 7.9 and Polar Bear (75) is 9.7.

Among other brands, Benjamin Moore Smoke (2122-40) is the closest at ΔE 4.1, related but visible. Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt (SW 6204) is 5.0, Copen Blue (SW 0068) is 5.4, and Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue (HC-144) is 6.1. Nothing is under 2, so compare real samples on your own wall before assuming any of them can stand in.