Bonsai
DE5538 · #787B54 · LRV 18 — warm yellow tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Essex Green6
- 2Vintage Vogue12
- 3Bonsai18
- 4Evergreen Fog30
- 5Clary Sage41
What Color Is Bonsai, Really?
Bonsai reads as a warm yellow tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE5538 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Bonsai
Bonsai works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greens bridge indoors and out, so they suit living rooms, kitchens and sunrooms.
How Lighting Changes Bonsai
With an LRV of 18, Bonsai is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its yellow 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 Bonsai 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 Dunn-Edwards DE5538 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 | EdamameSW 7729 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.3 | 20 | Color page → |
| Behr | Seaweed SaladS370-6 · Behr | 2.1 | 19 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Oak Grove489 · Benjamin Moore | 1.7 | 19 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Candied Lime6002-4C · Valspar | 2.9 | 17.8 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Green BriarPPG1113-6 · PPG / Glidden | 4.6 | 17 | Color page → |
| Glidden | European Olive70YY 18/220 · Glidden | 3.0 | 18 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Bonsai within Dunn-Edwards'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 #787B54 in HSL space. Pair Bonsai with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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