Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Black Forest Green |
| SKU | HC-187 |
| Hex | #242E2C |
| RGB | 36, 46, 44 |
| HSL | 168°, 12%, 16% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | cool blue-green tone |
| Family | Black |
About Benjamin Moore Black Forest Green
At LRV 5, Black Forest Green 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 teal 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.
Black Forest Green 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.
Closest matches by brand
2 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 black from that brand.
Behr
Valspar
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Black Forest Green within Benjamin Moore'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 #242E2C in HSL space. Pair Black Forest Green 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.
Benjamin Moore Black Forest Green Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Black Forest Green 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 Benjamin Moore HC-187 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Black Forest Green
At Behr, the closest color to Black Forest Green is Beluga (770F-7) — very close at ΔE 2.37, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 3 vs 5) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Beluga swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Black Forest Green
Valspar has no exact twin of Black Forest Green. The nearest is Tempest's Teapot (M250) at ΔE 4.57 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 2.5 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tempest's Teapot swatch →