Dark Walnut
PPF-51 · #56443E · LRV 6 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Mahogany0
- 2Dark Walnut6
- 3Porpoise13
- 4Cavern Clay20
What Color Is Dark Walnut, Really?
Dark Walnut reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Behr PPF-51 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Dark Walnut
Dark Walnut earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
How Lighting Changes Dark Walnut
At LRV 6, Dark Walnut 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.
Most complaints about Dark Walnut are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr PPF-51 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | OtterSW 6041 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.1 | 6 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | BaristaAF-175 · Benjamin Moore | 1.9 | 8 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Mystic Taupe1002-9A · Valspar | 0.7 | 6.7 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Chocolate CroissantPPG16-24 · PPG / Glidden | 1.4 | 7 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Stewart House Brown50YR 06/081 · Glidden | 1.0 | 6 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Wire Work416-7DB · Dutch Boy | 4.6 | 7 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Dark Walnut within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #56443E in HSL space. Pair Dark Walnut with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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