Cordovan Brown
DESS49 · #4C4340 · LRV 6 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Mahogany0
- 2Cordovan Brown6
- 3Porpoise13
- 4Cavern Clay20
What Color Is Cordovan Brown, Really?
Cordovan Brown reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DESS49 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Cordovan Brown
Cordovan Brown 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.
How Lighting Changes Cordovan Brown
At LRV 6, Cordovan Brown 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.
Most complaints about Cordovan 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 Dunn-Edwards DESS49 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 | SealskinSW 7675 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.0 | 6 | Color page → |
| Behr | Sweet MolassesPPU5-20 · Behr | 0.6 | 6 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Cordovan BrownES-62 · Benjamin Moore | 1.6 | 0 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Ebony Keys8006-2G · Valspar | 3.6 | 6 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Phantom MistPPG1002-7 · PPG / Glidden | 2.5 | 6 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Phantom MistPPG1002-7 · Glidden | 1.1 | 6 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Cordovan Brown 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 #4C4340 in HSL space. Pair Cordovan Brown with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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