Shadow Wood
ECC-12-3 · #5E534A · LRV 9 — warm red-orange tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Black Bean4
- 2Shadow Wood9
- 3Cavern Clay20
- 4Redend Point30
What Color Is Shadow Wood, Really?
Shadow Wood reads as a warm red-orange tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Behr ECC-12-3 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Shadow Wood
Shadow Wood 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 Shadow Wood
At LRV 9, Shadow Wood 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 orange 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 Shadow Wood 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 ECC-12-3 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 | Tea LeafSW 9604 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.4 | 9 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Stone Brown2112-30 · Benjamin Moore | 1.8 | 10 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Hunting Boots1001-9A · Valspar | 3.2 | 9.4 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Cabin FeverPPG1021-7 · PPG / Glidden | 1.4 | 9 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Cabin FeverPPG1021-7 · Glidden | 0.6 | 9 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | SubterraneanHGSW 3221 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 4.2 | 9 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Shadow Wood 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 #5E534A in HSL space. Pair Shadow Wood with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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