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What's the closest Dulux match to Little Greene Dock Blue?

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Quick answer

The closest Dulux match to Little Greene Dock Blue is Dulux Heritage Oxford Blue, at ΔE 2.5 — a very close match. Slow Swing is the next best at ΔE 3.7, but you'll notice the difference.

If you're after Dock Blue without paying Little Greene prices, Dulux Heritage Oxford Blue is your best bet. It lands at ΔE 2.5 from the original — that's within the "very close" bracket, where most people won't clock a difference once it's on the wall and dry. Oxford Blue sits at LRV 3.8, so it's properly deep and inky, much like Dock Blue itself.

The runner-up is Dulux Slow Swing at LRV 3.2, but at ΔE 3.7 it's a noticeably looser match. You'd see the shift if you held the two side by side — Slow Swing reads a touch differently in the undertone. I'd only reach for it if Oxford Blue isn't available to you for some reason.

A word on why these matches matter on a colour this dark: rich, saturated blues are unforgiving. Tiny differences in undertone get amplified in low-light conditions and under artificial lighting, where a green-leaning blue can suddenly read teal and a red-leaning one can go almost navy-purple. So even a ΔE of 2.5 is worth proving out before you commit a whole room.

The "but what about the finish?" question is the real one here. A match figure compares colour, not sheen or how the pigment behaves under a roller. Dulux Heritage in their Velvet Matt won't lay down identically to Little Greene's Intelligent Matt or Absolute Matt — the depth and the way light sits on the surface can differ even when the colour reads the same.

So do this: get a sample pot of Oxford Blue, paint two coats on a decent-sized piece of lining paper (A3 minimum), and move it round the room across a full day. Check it against north light and your evening lighting. With deep blues, that test is non-negotiable — get it right and Oxford Blue will do Dock Blue's job nicely.

Colours from the answer

LRV 3.7
Little Greene
Dock Blue
LRV 3.8
Dulux
DH Oxford Blue
LRV 3.2
Dulux
Slow Swing

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