Charleston Brown
HC-186 · #745239 · LRV 10 — warm red-orange tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Mahogany0
- 2Turkish Coffee5
- 3Charleston Brown10
- 4Cavern Clay20
- 5Redend Point30
What Color Is Charleston Brown, Really?
Charleston Brown reads as a warm red-orange tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore HC-186 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Charleston Brown
Charleston Brown works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
How Lighting Changes Charleston Brown
With an LRV of 10, Charleston Brown is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Charleston Brown 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 HC-186 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 | Umber RustSW 9100 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.1 | 10 | Color page → |
| Behr | Tamarind FruitPMD-61 · Behr | 2.3 | 10 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Leather & LaceV088-6 · Valspar | 3.0 | 10.1 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | MolassesPPG1079-7 · PPG / Glidden | 1.9 | 11 | Color page → |
| Glidden | MolassesPPG1079-7 · Glidden | 1.9 | 11 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Olde Metal414-7DB · Dutch Boy | 3.7 | 11 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Charleston Brown 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 #745239 in HSL space. Pair Charleston Brown with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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