Black Pepper
2130-40 · #717C86 · LRV 21 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Hale Navy8
- 2Waterloo13
- 3Black Pepper21
- 4Resolute Blue40
- 5Lost in the 80s51
What Color Is Black Pepper, Really?
Black Pepper reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 2130-40 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Black Pepper
Black Pepper works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Black Pepper
With an LRV of 21, Black Pepper is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its blue 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.
Most complaints about Black Pepper 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 Benjamin Moore 2130-40 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 | Foggy DaySW 6235 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.7 | 20 | Color page → |
| Behr | Deep ShalePPF-38 · Behr | 1.1 | 20 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Elephant Gray4006-2A · Valspar | 2.1 | 18.9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Favorite FlannelPPG10-19 · PPG / Glidden | 2.8 | 18 | Color page → |
| Glidden | French Grey70BG 19/071 · Glidden | 1.9 | 19 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Industrialized434-5DB · Dutch Boy | 2.1 | 21 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Black Pepper within Benjamin Moore'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 #717C86 in HSL space. Pair Black Pepper with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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