Farrow & Ball

Drawing Room Blue

No. 253

Drawing Room Blue by Farrow & Ball is a deep blue with cool undertones that carry a slight grey cast. With an LRV of 31.8, it absorbs a substantial amount of light, lending itself to rooms where a darker, more contained atmosphere is appropriate. The colour reads as a strong navy-blue under natural daylight and can shift toward a softer slate-blue in low or warm artificial light.

It is commonly used in living rooms, dining rooms, and libraries where wall colour is intended to be a dominant feature. Farrow & Ball Pointing or White Tie on trim and ceilings provides necessary contrast and keeps the scheme from feeling too heavy. Light Blue offers a tonal step-down for adjacent rooms, and Pavilion Gray works as a neutral bridge on woodwork or hallways.

Brand

Farrow & Ball

Code

No. 253

Drawing Room Blue in Different Light

Light temperature is measured in Kelvin: a warm 2700K bulb pulls colors toward yellow, while 5000K daylight reads cooler and truer. Check the color at the time of day you actually use the room.

Artificial Lighting

Bedroom scene to simulate Farrow & Ball Drawing Room Blue under artificial light

Natural Lighting

Living room scene to simulate Farrow & Ball Drawing Room Blue under natural light

Technical Specifications

Undertones

Type

Blue

Strength

Medium

Temperature

cool

Hue Angle

225°

Blue Family

Lightness

36%

Dark

Saturation

24%

Muted

LRV

31.8
0%100%
Very Dark
Dark
Medium
Light
Very Light
White

LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white). Below about 50 a color needs good lighting to avoid going flat, 60 and up helps brighten a room, and most whites sit above 80.

Color Position
Saturation →
Lightness →

Color Codes

HEX
#465172
RGB Decimal
70, 81, 114
RGB Percent
27.5%, 31.8%, 44.7%
HSL
225.0, 23.9%, 36.1%
HSV
225.0, 38.6%, 44.7%
CMYK
38.6%, 28.9%, 0.0%, 55.3%
YIQ
81.5, -17.2, 8.0
XYZ
8.51, 8.40, 17.09
CIE Lab
34.81, 4.65, -20.29
CIE Luv
34.81, -6.67, -27.78
Hunter Lab
28.99, 3.30, -17.62
Decimal
4608370

Coordinating Colors and Color Palettes