Love Affair
1266 · #85595D · LRV 13 — warm red tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Rookwood Dark Red3
- 2Rumors8
- 3Love Affair13
- 4Cinnamon Slate19
- 5Rejuvenate30
What Color Is Love Affair, Really?
Love Affair reads as a warm red tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 1266 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Love Affair
Love Affair works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
How Lighting Changes Love Affair
With an LRV of 13, Love Affair is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Love Affair 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 1266 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 | AlaeaSW 7579 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.1 | 12 | Color page → |
| Behr | Red WillowPPU1-09 · Behr | 3.6 | 13 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Maroon RoverV079-6 · Valspar | 3.4 | 12.1 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Old BurgundyPPG13-05 · PPG / Glidden | 1.7 | 13 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Old BurgundyPPG13-05 · Glidden | 1.3 | 13 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Strawberry Shade302-6DB · Dutch Boy | 1.1 | 12 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Love Affair 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 #85595D in HSL space. Pair Love Affair with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Have you painted with Love Affair?
Rate it — one tap helps the next reader decide.
Ask a Question