Dunn-Edwards black paint colors
18 black paint colors from the Dunn-Edwards Perfect Palette deck. LRV ranges from 9 (lightest) down to 4 (darkest). Click any swatch to see how it cross-matches at the 10 other US paint brands.
True black on a wall almost always looks heavier than you expected. The picks below — the "designer blacks" — sit just shy of pure black, with subtle blue, brown, or green undertones that keep them from reading like a void.
All 18 black paint colors from Dunn-Edwards
Grouped by undertone (warm → cool)Hex values are display approximations from Dunn-Edwards's published swatch tools — not guaranteed to match a physical sample under controlled lighting. Order a brand-direct sample before specifying.
Dunn-Edwards black paint colors by room
8 roomsRooms where black paint commonly works. Each link jumps to that room's curated picks across every brand — Dunn-Edwards included — so you can compare Dunn-Edwards black paint colors alongside the alternatives in context.
Other Dunn-Edwards color families
Black paint colors at other US brands
About Dunn-Edwards black paint colors
What Dunn-Edwards Black Colors Actually Look Like
Dunn-Edwards keeps a tight group of seven black colors, and most of them are not flat, true black. They lean into quiet undertones that read as black across a room but soften up close. Black Spruce (DE6308) carries a green-gray cast, Lunar Eclipse (DE5776) and Stargazing (DE6336) drift cool, and Refined Green (DEA181) is a near-black with a green pull.
If you want the closest thing to a pure, deep black, look at Black (DEA187) at the bottom of the range. The rest give you the depth of black with a little color life in it, which is usually what looks best on real walls.
How to Choose Using LRV
LRV is a 0 to 100 scale for how much light a color bounces back. The blacks here run from 9 (lightest) down to 4 (darkest), so even the brightest one is still very dark. Black Spruce at 9 and Iron River (DEA176) at 8 are the most forgiving, while Black at 4 is the deepest and least forgiving of poor light.
In a room with good natural light, the darker end (Dark Engine at 5, Black at 4) holds its richness. In a darker room or a small space, the higher-LRV picks like Black Spruce or Iron River keep some dimension instead of turning into a flat hole.
Best Rooms and Uses
Black does its best work on accents and trim-style jobs rather than every wall in a bright room. A single feature wall, a fireplace surround, a study, a powder room, or the inside of built-in shelving all suit these colors well. Dunn-Edwards makes ARISTOSHIELD, a urethane-alkyd enamel built for trim, cabinets, and doors, which is the line to reach for when you want a black with a hard, smooth finish.
For walls, SUPREMA is the ultra-low-VOC interior pick, and EVERSHIELD is the exterior line engineered for harsh desert sun. Because Dunn-Edwards designs its colors for intense Western light, these blacks tend to hold up outdoors better than blacks built for softer climates.
Pairing With Trim, Ceiling, and Coordinating Colors
Black walls want a clean, simple contrast to feel intentional. A crisp warm white on the trim and ceiling is the safest move, and Dunn-Edwards has well-known whites for exactly this, including Swiss Coffee, Bone China, and Cottage White. Match the white to the black's temperature: a warm white softens a cool black like Lunar Eclipse, while a cleaner white sharpens it.
If you want the black to feel less heavy, lean on its undertone. The green-leaning blacks like Black Spruce and Refined Green pair nicely with natural wood and warm brass. The cooler blacks like Stargazing sit well with gray stone, steel, and matte hardware.
How These Colors Are Sold and Mixed
Dunn-Edwards is not a big-box brand and is not sold nationwide. You buy it through company-owned stores in the West and Southwest: California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. Expect roughly $55 to $65 a gallon depending on the line.
Every one of these blacks is mixed to order at the store. Nothing sits premixed on a shelf in a black this deep, so you pick the color and finish, and the staff tints the base for you. If you are outside the brand's region, you cannot get the real Dunn-Edwards product, but you can still cross-match the color with another brand.
Dunn-Edwards black paint — frequently asked questions
Are any of these a true pure black?+
The closest is Black (DEA187), the darkest in the slice at LRV 4. The others carry quiet undertones, mostly cool or green, so they read black on the wall but are not flat, neutral black up close.
Which black should I pick for a room without much light?+
Go with the higher-LRV options like Black Spruce (DE6308) at LRV 9 or Iron River (DEA176) at LRV 8. They hold a little more dimension in dim rooms, while the deepest picks like Black (DEA187) can flatten out without good light.
What finish and line should I use for black cabinets or doors?+
Use ARISTOSHIELD, the urethane-alkyd enamel built for trim, cabinets, and doors. It gives black a hard, smooth surface that wipes clean. For walls, SUPREMA is the ultra-low-VOC interior choice, and EVERSHIELD is the exterior line made for strong desert sun.
What trim color goes with a black wall?+
A clean warm white is the reliable pairing. Dunn-Edwards options like Swiss Coffee, Bone China, and Cottage White all work. Match the white's warmth to the black's undertone so the contrast looks intentional rather than harsh.
Can I get these colors if I don't live in the West or Southwest?+
Not as the real Dunn-Edwards product. The brand only sells through its own stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. Outside that area, take the color name and code to another brand and have them cross-match it.
How do I cross-match one of these blacks to another brand?+
Bring the exact name and code, like Stargazing (DE6336), to any paint counter, including a shop carrying the featured Kompozit deck. Because every black is mixed to order from a tint formula, a good store can read the target color and tint a close match in their own base.