Sorrel Brown
1236 · #8E6E5F · LRV 18 — warm red tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Turkish Coffee5
- 2Porpoise13
- 3Sorrel Brown18
- 4Modern Mocha25
- 5Redend Point30
What Color Is Sorrel Brown, Really?
Sorrel Brown reads as a warm red tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 1236 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Sorrel Brown
Sorrel 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 Sorrel Brown
With an LRV of 18, Sorrel Brown 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 Sorrel 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 1236 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 | NuthatchSW 6088 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.1 | 19 | Color page → |
| Behr | AntiquitiesMQ2-43 · Behr | 2.3 | 17 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Zanzibar Spice2005-9B · Valspar | 2.7 | 18.1 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Derby BrownPPG1073-6 · PPG / Glidden | 3.1 | 18 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Derby BrownPPG1073-6 · Glidden | 3.1 | 18 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Twiggy Brown412-6DB · Dutch Boy | 3.1 | 19 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Sorrel 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 #8E6E5F in HSL space. Pair Sorrel Brown with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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