Pottery Red
2085-20 · #853F44 · LRV 9 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Rookwood Dark Red3
- 2Pottery Red9
- 3Cinnamon Slate19
- 4Rejuvenate30
What Color Is Pottery Red, Really?
Pottery Red reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 2085-20 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Pottery Red
Pottery Red earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
How Lighting Changes Pottery Red
At LRV 9, Pottery Red 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.
Most complaints about Pottery Red 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 2085-20 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 | Luxurious RedSW 6314 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.5 | 9 | Color page → |
| Behr | Dark CrimsonM140-7 · Behr | 0.9 | 9 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Red Henna1008-7A · Valspar | 4.8 | 8.5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Ruby LipsPPG1052-7 · PPG / Glidden | 1.6 | 8 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Oriental Berry96RR 08/311 · Glidden | 0.6 | 8 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Mulberry Tree202-7DB · Dutch Boy | 1.6 | 8 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Pottery Red 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 #853F44 in HSL space. Pair Pottery Red with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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