Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Essential Brown |
| SKU | BNC-03 |
| Hex | #C1BE9F |
| RGB | 193, 190, 159 |
| HSL | 55°, 22%, 69% |
| LRV | 51 |
| Undertone | warm yellow tone |
| Family | Neutral |
About Behr Essential Brown
At LRV 51, Essential Brown is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. Its yellow 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. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Essential Brown is an easy whole-room color for living spaces and bedrooms, and light enough to carry onto trim or a ceiling if you want a soft, seamless look. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
Closest matches by brand
16 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 neutral 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
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Essential Brown 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 #C1BE9F in HSL space. Pair Essential Brown 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 Essential Brown Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Essential Brown 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 BNC-03 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Essential Brown
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Essential Brown is Recycled Glass (SW 7747) — very close at ΔE 2.54, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Recycled Glass swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Essential Brown
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Essential Brown is Lichen Stone (CSP-820). At ΔE 0.44 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm yellow undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51). If Benjamin Moore is your counter, order Lichen Stone and you'll get the same color. See the full Lichen Stone swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Essential Brown
At Valspar, the closest color to Essential Brown is Good to Grow (8003-27C) — very close at ΔE 2.64, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 51) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Good to Grow swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Essential Brown
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Essential Brown is Beach Dune (PPG1112-4) — very close at ΔE 3.15, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 51) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Beach Dune swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Essential Brown
Glidden has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Beach Dune (PPG1112-4) at ΔE 3.6 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Beach Dune swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Essential Brown
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Essential Brown is Willowed Tree (324-2DB) — very close at ΔE 2.04, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Willowed Tree swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Essential Brown
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Essential Brown is Recycled Glass (HGSW 7747) — very close at ΔE 2.54, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Recycled Glass swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Essential Brown
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Essential Brown is Light Pine (DE5535) — very close at ΔE 3.05, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 47 vs 51) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Light Pine swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Essential Brown
The closest Magnolia Home equivalent of Essential Brown is Gold Moss (JG-48). At ΔE 0.71 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm yellow undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51). If Magnolia Home is your counter, order Gold Moss and you'll get the same color. See the full Gold Moss swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Essential Brown
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Fawn (NO. 10) at ΔE 4.21 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Fawn swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Essential Brown
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Helen of Troy (0350) at ΔE 3.77 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Helen of Troy swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Essential Brown
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Courtyard (0344) at ΔE 4.66 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Courtyard swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Essential Brown
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Bristle (C2-910) at ΔE 3.64 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Bristle swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Essential Brown
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Sevilla (SEVILLA) at ΔE 4.9 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 47 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Sevilla swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Essential Brown
Kompozit has no exact twin of Essential Brown. The nearest is Courtyard (0344) at ΔE 4.66 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 51). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Courtyard swatch →