Color guide · Behr · Black

Dominant Gray

BXC-17 · #444D4A · LRV 7 · cool blue-green tone

BXC-17 · #444D4A · LRV 7 — cool blue-green tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Dominant GrayBehr · BXC-17
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Dominant Gray
BEHR · BXC-17 · #444D4A
Brand · codeBehrBXC-17 · all Behr blacks
LRV7Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonecool blue-green tone
FamilyBlack
Hex · RGB · HSL#444D4A · 68, 77, 74 · 160°, 6%, 28%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Cordovan Brown0
  2. 2Dominant Gray7
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Dominant Gray, Really?

Dominant Gray reads as a cool blue-green tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Behr BXC-17 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Dominant Gray

Dominant Gray 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Dominant Gray

At LRV 7, Dominant Gray 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 teal 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Dominant Gray 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.

Upload a photoPainted in about a minuteFree, no account
Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr BXC-17 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Behr Colors

The nearest shades to Dominant Gray within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Dominant Gray · 2.4 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Dominant Gray · 8.7 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #444D4A in HSL space. Pair Dominant Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#444D4A + #4D4447
TRIADIC
#444D4A · #4A444D · #4D4A44
ANALOGOUS
#444D46 · #444D4A · #444C4D

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Jessica Williams

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