Madison Avenue
QE-64 · #3C3D3D · LRV 5 — neutral with no strong undertone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Cordovan Brown0
- 2Madison Avenue5
What Color Is Madison Avenue, Really?
Madison Avenue reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Behr QE-64 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Madison Avenue
Madison Avenue 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.
How Lighting Changes Madison Avenue
At LRV 5, Madison Avenue 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. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Madison Avenue 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 QE-64 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 | ArmorySW 9600 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.1 | 5 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Black Jack2133-20 · Benjamin Moore | 1.1 | 5 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Caviar8006-4G · Valspar | 1.6 | 5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Starless SkyPPG0995-7 · PPG / Glidden | 0.0 | 5 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Starless SkyPPG0995-7 · Glidden | 0.0 | 5 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Ebony Sky438-6DB · Dutch Boy | 3.8 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Madison Avenue 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 #3C3D3D in HSL space. Pair Madison Avenue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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