Is Behr Blue Hydrangea a good dupe for Sherwin-Williams Upward?

Yes! Behr Blue Hydrangea has a 94.3% scientific visual match to Sherwin-Williams Upward with a CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) of only 1.66. On walls, the difference is virtually imperceptible under standard residential lighting.

How much do you save using Blue Hydrangea instead of Upward?

Sherwin-Williams Upward retails at ~$82/gal, whereas Behr Blue Hydrangea costs ~$48/gal. You save $34 per gallon (41% discount), or approximately $272 on an average whole-house painting project.

Head-to-Head Dupe Analysis94.3% Match SimilaritySave $34 / Gallon

Sherwin-Williams Upward
vs Behr Blue Hydrangea

Looking for a cheap equivalent to Upward (SW 6239)? Here is the scientific comparison, spectrophotometric ΔE score, and exact formula to get this mixed at Home Depot.

⚖️ Side-by-Side Visual Comparison

Notice how the human eye perceives both shades under identical D65 daylight.

ΔE: 1.66

Original (premium)$82/gal

Upward

Sherwin-Williams (SW 6239)

HEX: #BFCAD0 • LRV: 57

Budget Dupe (budget)$48/gal

Blue Hydrangea

Behr (M520-2)

HEX: #C1C8CD • LRV: 58

🎯 Editorial Verdict:"Excellent Visual Dupe (Same mood and undertone)"

Light Reflectance difference is only 1%. Once painted across an entire room, natural light bounce creates identical atmosphere.

Cost Difference

Save $34/gal (41%)

Technical Specification Comparison

Objective measurements recorded under standard CIE D65 illuminant.

Metric	Sherwin-Williams Upward	Behr Blue Hydrangea	Difference / Notes
Hexadecimal Code	#BFCAD0	#C1C8CD	ΔE 1.66
sRGB Coordinates	191, 202, 208	193, 200, 205	Near-parallel chromaticity
LRV (Light Reflectance)	57%	58%	Only 1% variance
Dominant Undertones	Breezy Blue, Silver Denim, Soft Periwinkle	Soft Denim, Silver Sky, Powder Blue	Complementary tones
Price Per Gallon (MSRP)	$82	$48	Save $34/gal
Whole House Cost (10 gal)	$820	$480	Save $340 Total!

🛒 How to Order this Dupe at Home Depot

Copy and present this exact prompt to the paint counter technician.

"Hi, I would like 1 gallon of Behr Marquee/Premium tinted to Blue Hydrangea (M520-2). This is a verified match for Sherwin-Williams Upward (SW 6239)."