Color guide · Dunn-Edwards · Brown

Bear in Mind

DE6042 · #5B4A44 · LRV 7 · warm red tone

DE6042 · #5B4A44 · LRV 7 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Bear in MindDunn-Edwards · DE6042
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Bear in Mind
DUNN-EDWARDS · DE6042 · #5B4A44
Brand · codeDunn-EdwardsDE6042 · all Dunn-Edwards browns
LRV7Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonewarm red tone
FamilyBrown
Hex · RGB · HSL#5B4A44 · 91, 74, 68 · 16°, 14%, 31%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Weathervane2
  2. 2Bear in Mind7
  3. 3Porpoise13
  4. 4Cavern Clay20
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Bear in Mind, Really?

Bear in Mind reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE6042 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Bear in Mind

Bear in Mind earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Bear in Mind

At LRV 7, Bear in Mind 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Bear in Mind 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.

Upload a photoPainted in about a minuteFree, no account
Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DE6042 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors

The nearest shades to Bear in Mind within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Bear in Mind · 2.5 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Bear in Mind · 8.4 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #5B4A44 in HSL space. Pair Bear in Mind with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#5B4A44 + #44555B
TRIADIC
#5B4A44 · #445B4A · #4A445B
ANALOGOUS
#5B444A · #5B4A44 · #5B5644

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Jessica Williams

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