Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Bitter Chocolate |
| SKU | 790B-7 |
| Hex | #393432 |
| RGB | 57, 52, 50 |
| HSL | 17°, 7%, 21% |
| LRV | 4 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Black |
About Behr Bitter Chocolate
At LRV 4, Bitter Chocolate is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Bitter Chocolate earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.
Closest matches by brand
15 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 black from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Bitter Chocolate within Behr'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 #393432 in HSL space. Pair Bitter Chocolate 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.
Behr Bitter Chocolate Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Bitter Chocolate 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 Behr 790B-7 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Bitter Chocolate is Deep Forest Brown (SW 9175) — very close at ΔE 3.31, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Deep Forest Brown swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Bitter Chocolate is Espresso Bean (CSP-30) — very close at ΔE 2.41, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Espresso Bean swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
At Valspar, the closest color to Bitter Chocolate is Fired Earth (6011-1) — very close at ΔE 2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3.7 vs 4) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Fired Earth swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Bitter Chocolate. The nearest is Starless Sky (PPG0995-7) at ΔE 4.54 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Starless Sky swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
Glidden has no exact twin of Bitter Chocolate. The nearest is Onyx Black (00NN 05/000) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Onyx Black swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Bitter Chocolate. The nearest is Jumping Java (HGSW 3081) at ΔE 4.43 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Jumping Java swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Bitter Chocolate is Black (DEA002) — very close at ΔE 3.07, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Black swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Bitter Chocolate is Moments (JG-150) — very close at ΔE 2.51, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Moments swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Bitter Chocolate. The nearest is Smelt Black (NO. G18) at ΔE 3.88 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Smelt Black swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Bitter Chocolate. The nearest is Grantsburg Gray (H101) at ΔE 4.19 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Grantsburg Gray swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Bitter Chocolate is Sayward Pine (H0101) — very close at ΔE 3.47, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sayward Pine swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Bitter Chocolate
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Bitter Chocolate. The nearest is Aperture (C2-981) at ΔE 3.7 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Aperture swatch →