Color spec
| Brand | Annie Sloan |
| Name | Emperors Silk |
| SKU | Emperors Silk |
| Hex | #B23847 |
| RGB | 178, 56, 71 |
| HSL | 353°, 52%, 46% |
| LRV | 13 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Red |
About Annie Sloan Emperors Silk
With an LRV of 13, Emperors Silk is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its red undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Emperors Silk works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
Closest matches by brand
14 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all red from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
C2 Paint
Kompozit
Similar Annie Sloan colors
closest in the Annie Sloan deckThe nearest shades to Emperors Silk within Annie Sloan's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #B23847 in HSL space. Pair Emperors Silk with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Annie Sloan Emperors Silk Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Emperors Silk from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Annie Sloan Emperors Silk directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Lusty Red (SW 6863) — very close at ΔE 3.25, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Lusty Red swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At Behr, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Fortune Red (BIC-48) — very close at ΔE 2.58, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Fortune Red swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Ladybug Red (1322) — very close at ΔE 2.55, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ladybug Red swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At Valspar, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Berry Blush (1004-1A) — very close at ΔE 2.21, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14.4 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Berry Blush swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Red Gumball (PPG1187-7) — very close at ΔE 3.48, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Red Gumball swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At Glidden, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Cherries Jubilee (84RR 13/471) — very close at ΔE 2.87, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Cherries Jubilee swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Emperors Silk
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Emperors Silk. The nearest is Poppied Red (106-7DB) at ΔE 4.73 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Poppied Red swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Emperors Silk
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Roses are Red (DET428), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.88). It runs slightly darker (LRV 11 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Emperors Silk without repainting risk. See the full Roses are Red swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Emperors Silk
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Emperors Silk. The nearest is Rectory Red (NO. 217) at ΔE 4.05 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Rectory Red swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Emperors Silk
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Emperors Silk is Unmatched Beauty (1110) — very close at ΔE 3.15, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14 vs 13) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Unmatched Beauty swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Emperors Silk
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Emperors Silk. The nearest is Unmatched Beauty (1110) at ΔE 4.49 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Unmatched Beauty swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Emperors Silk
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Emperors Silk. The nearest is Tango (C2-566) at ΔE 4.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 12 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tango swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Emperors Silk
Kompozit has no exact twin of Emperors Silk. The nearest is Unmatched Beauty (1110) at ΔE 4.49 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 11 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Unmatched Beauty swatch →