Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Ground Nutmeg |
| SKU | S-H-230 |
| Hex | #983A22 |
| RGB | 152, 58, 34 |
| HSL | 12°, 63%, 36% |
| LRV | 10 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Brown |
About Behr Ground Nutmeg
With an LRV of 10, Ground Nutmeg 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.
Ground Nutmeg works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
Closest matches by brand
6 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 brown from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Dutch Boy
Hirshfield's
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Ground Nutmeg 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 #983A22 in HSL space. Pair Ground Nutmeg 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 Ground Nutmeg Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Ground Nutmeg 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 S-H-230 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Ground Nutmeg
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Ground Nutmeg is Brick Paver (SW 7599) — very close at ΔE 3.11, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Brick Paver swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Ground Nutmeg
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Ground Nutmeg is Merlot Red (2006-10) — very close at ΔE 2.94, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 10) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Merlot Red swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Ground Nutmeg
At Valspar, the closest color to Ground Nutmeg is Russet Red (2011-7) — very close at ΔE 2.77, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9.9 vs 10) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Russet Red swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Ground Nutmeg
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Ground Nutmeg. The nearest is April Love (1061) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full April Love swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Ground Nutmeg
Kompozit has no exact twin of Ground Nutmeg. The nearest is April Love (1061) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full April Love swatch →