Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Black Russian |
| SKU | DE6391 |
| Hex | #5C5451 |
| RGB | 92, 84, 81 |
| HSL | 16°, 6%, 34% |
| LRV | 9 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Dunn-Edwards Black Russian
At LRV 9, Black Russian 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.
Black Russian earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
16 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 gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Black Russian within Dunn-Edwards'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 #5C5451 in HSL space. Pair Black Russian 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.
Dunn-Edwards Black Russian Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Black Russian 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 Dunn-Edwards DE6391 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Black Russian
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Black Russian is Prelude (SW 9620) — very close at ΔE 3.43, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Prelude swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Black Russian
The closest Behr equivalent of Black Russian is Gardeners Soil (MQ2-54). At ΔE 0.79 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9). If Behr is your counter, order Gardeners Soil and you'll get the same color. See the full Gardeners Soil swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Black Russian
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Black Russian is Stone Brown (2112-30) — very close at ΔE 2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Stone Brown swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Black Russian
Valspar has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Hunting Boots (1001-9A) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9.4 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Hunting Boots swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Black Russian
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Undercover (PPG0998-7), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.25). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Black Russian without repainting risk. See the full Undercover swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Black Russian
At Glidden, the closest color to Black Russian is Undercover (PPG0998-7) — very close at ΔE 2.14, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Undercover swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Black Russian
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Ship's Anchor (437-6DB) at ΔE 4.55 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ship's Anchor swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Black Russian
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Peppercorn (HGSW 1491) at ΔE 4.55 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Peppercorn swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Black Russian
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Conservatory (JG-158) at ΔE 4.83 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Conservatory swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Black Russian
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Tar (NO. CC1) at ΔE 4.56 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tar swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Black Russian
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Terra Pin (0571) at ΔE 4.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Terra Pin swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Black Russian
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Black Russian is Gargoyle (0550) — very close at ΔE 2.1, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 9) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gargoyle swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Black Russian
Rodda's nearest match is Caffe Americano (R036), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.61). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Black Russian without repainting risk. See the full Caffe Americano swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Black Russian
C2 Paint's nearest match is Chocolate Therapy (C2-806), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.02). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Black Russian without repainting risk. See the full Chocolate Therapy swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Black Russian
Clare has no exact twin of Black Russian. The nearest is Blackest (PNT100-DP-55) at ΔE 4.74 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blackest swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Black Russian
At Kompozit, the closest color to Black Russian is Gargoyle (0550) — very close at ΔE 2.1, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gargoyle swatch →