Dock Blue vs Steel blue

Dock BlueLittle GreenevsSteel blueRAL ClassicΔE 7.6Noticeable difference

Dock Blue (Little Greene) and Steel blue (RAL Classic) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 4 vs 5 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 7.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Dock Blue vs Steel blue in Real Spaces

1 real room side by side. Dock Blue and Steel blue are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.

Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.

Dock BlueLittle Greene Dock Blue 252 kitchen cabinets

@uncagedcolour

Steel blueRAL Classic 5011 kitchen cabinets paint review

@nieuwbouw_bouwnummer_12

Color Details

Dock Blue
Little Greene · 252
Hex#2e3742
LRV3.7
BrandLittle Greene
Number252
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Steel blue
RAL Classic · RAL 5011
Hex#1A2B3C
LRV5.4
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 5011
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Dock Blue vs Steel blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dock Blue on one side and Steel blue on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.

More Dock Blue comparisons

See how Dock Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Dock Blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Dock Blue
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Dock Blue
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Dock Blue
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Dock Blue
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Dock Blue
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Dock Blue
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Dock Blue
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Dock Blue
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Dock Blue
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Dock Blue
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Dock Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Dock Blue
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Dock Blue
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Dock Blue
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Dock Blue
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Dock Blue
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Dock Blue
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Dock Blue
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Dock Blue
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Dock Blue
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Dock Blue
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Dock Blue
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Dock Blue
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Dock Blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Dock Blue
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Dock Blue
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Dock Blue
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Pine Needle reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Dock Blue
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Dock Blue
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Dock Blue vs Steel blue Paint Color Comparison