Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Espresso Bean |
| SKU | CSP-30 |
| Hex | #3B3230 |
| RGB | 59, 50, 48 |
| HSL | 11°, 10%, 21% |
| LRV | 6 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Black |
About Benjamin Moore Espresso Bean
At LRV 6, Espresso Bean 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.
Espresso Bean 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
8 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.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Valspar
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Rodda
Kompozit
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Espresso Bean 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 #3B3230 in HSL space. Pair Espresso Bean 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 Espresso Bean Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Espresso Bean 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 CSP-30 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Espresso Bean
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Espresso Bean is Black Bean (SW 6006) — very close at ΔE 2.19, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 4 vs 6) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Black Bean swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Espresso Bean
At Behr, the closest color to Espresso Bean is Bitter Chocolate (790B-7) — very close at ΔE 2.41, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 4 vs 6) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bitter Chocolate swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Espresso Bean
Valspar has no exact twin of Espresso Bean. The nearest is Fired Earth (6011-1) at ΔE 3.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 3.7 vs 6). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Fired Earth swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Espresso Bean
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Espresso Bean is Jumping Java (HGSW 3081) — very close at ΔE 2.19, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 4 vs 6) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Jumping Java swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Espresso Bean
Magnolia Home's nearest match is Moments (JG-150), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.8). It runs slightly darker (LRV 4 vs 6) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Espresso Bean without repainting risk. See the full Moments swatch →