Dunn-Edwards Cave of the Winds#86736E · LRV 18
Cave of the Winds reads as a red / warm — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover the spec, what Dunn-Edwards DE6040 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Cave of the Winds |
| SKU | DE6040 |
| Hex | #86736E |
| RGB | 134, 115, 110 |
| HSL | 12°, 10%, 48% |
| LRV | 18 |
| Undertone | red / warm |
| Family | Neutral |
About Dunn-Edwards Cave of the Winds
With an LRV of 18, Cave of the Winds 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.
Cave of the Winds works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
Kompozit alternative
The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.
Closest matches at every US brand
9 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all neutral from that brand.
Behr
Valspar
Sherwin-Williams
PPG / Glidden
Benjamin Moore
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Clare
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Cave of the Winds 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 #86736E in HSL space. Pair Cave of the Winds 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.