Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Velvety Merlot |
| SKU | PMD-43 |
| Hex | #794143 |
| RGB | 121, 65, 67 |
| HSL | 358°, 30%, 36% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Red |
About Behr Velvety Merlot
At LRV 8, Velvety Merlot 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 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Velvety Merlot earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
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 red 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
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Velvety Merlot 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 #794143 in HSL space. Pair Velvety Merlot 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 Velvety Merlot Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Velvety Merlot 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 PMD-43 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Velvety Merlot. The nearest is Red Barn (SW 7591) at ΔE 4.38 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Red Barn swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Barn Red (ES-22), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.44). It runs noticeably darker (LRV 0 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Velvety Merlot without repainting risk. See the full Barn Red swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
At Valspar, the closest color to Velvety Merlot is Red Henna (1008-7A) — very close at ΔE 3.48, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8.5 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Red Henna swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Velvety Merlot is Bordeaux (PPG1055-7). At ΔE 0.99 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Bordeaux and you'll get the same color. See the full Bordeaux swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
The closest Glidden equivalent of Velvety Merlot is Bordeaux (PPG1055-7). At ΔE 0.65 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). If Glidden is your counter, order Bordeaux and you'll get the same color. See the full Bordeaux swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Holiday Berry (303-7DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.47). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Velvety Merlot without repainting risk. See the full Holiday Berry swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Velvety Merlot. The nearest is Red Barn (HGSW 7591) at ΔE 4.38 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Red Barn swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Velvety Merlot. The nearest is Rocky Mountain Red (DET442) at ΔE 3.58 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Rocky Mountain Red swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Velvety Merlot. The nearest is Create (JG-28) at ΔE 4.71 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Create swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Velvety Merlot. The nearest is Preference Red (NO. 297) at ΔE 3.89 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Preference Red swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Velvety Merlot is Red Clay Hill (H007) — very close at ΔE 2.6, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Red Clay Hill swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Hirshfield's's nearest match is Casandra (0088), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.64). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Velvety Merlot without repainting risk. See the full Casandra swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
The closest Rodda equivalent of Velvety Merlot is Ardent Red (R124). At ΔE 0.33 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8). If Rodda is your counter, order Ardent Red and you'll get the same color. See the full Ardent Red swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
C2 Paint's nearest match is Bamboozled (C2-534), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.8). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Velvety Merlot without repainting risk. See the full Bamboozled swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Clare has no exact twin of Velvety Merlot. The nearest is Vintage (PNT100-DP-67) at ΔE 3.92 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Vintage swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Velvety Merlot
Kompozit's nearest match is Casandra (0088), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.64). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Velvety Merlot without repainting risk. See the full Casandra swatch →