Dunn-Edwards Pine Forest

At an LRV of 7 this is a statement color, not a whole-home light. Used on all four walls it turns a room into an enclosed, moody space, which works beautifully in a study, home office, library, small powder room, or a dining room you mostly use at night. Keep those rooms in mind rather than a bright open kitchen where you want light to bounce.

It is also a strong accent. One dark wall behind a bed or a bookcase gives depth without darkening the whole room. On cabinets and built-ins it looks rich and holds up well in a kitchen island or a lower run of cabinetry paired with lighter uppers.

Outside is where Dunn-Edwards points it most: exterior siding, shutters, and especially a front door, where the deep green reads as sophisticated and pairs naturally with wood and stone. On trim it works as a dark contrast against a light body color.

With an LRV of 7, Pine Forest returns almost no light, so lighting decides how much green versus black you get rather than how bright the room feels. Plan for a room that will always read dark and cocooning.

In north-facing rooms, where light is cool and steady, the color goes its deepest and coolest and can look close to black. South-facing rooms get the most sun, which lifts the green and shows the most life across the day. East light warms it in the morning then lets it fall dark by afternoon, while west rooms stay muted until the late sun briefly warms it.

Bulb choice matters more than usual here. Warm 2700K bulbs pull out the green and soften the whole wall. Cool or daylight bulbs above 4000K push it colder and grayer, closer to black. Add lamps and wall sconces, because a color this dark eats overhead light.

The closest cousin in the Dunn-Edwards line is Total Eclipse (DEFD62), also at LRV 7. The difference is the lean: Total Eclipse is a green-tinged charcoal that reads gray-black, while Pine Forest is a true green that reads black. Choose Total Eclipse when you want a near-black with only a whisper of color, and Pine Forest when you actually want people to register green.

Moss Cottage (DET608), at LRV 8, is a step greener and slightly softer, so it looks more clearly like a dark sage in daylight. Pick it if Pine Forest feels too close to black for your taste.

Walk in the Park (DESS29), also LRV 8, pushes further toward a blue-green and looks a touch cooler and richer. It suits a room where you want the green to feel deep and jewel-like rather than earthy. All three stay in statement-color territory, so the decision is about undertone, not brightness.

For trim and ceilings, a soft warm white keeps the contrast crisp without going stark. Swiss Coffee (DEW342), at an LRV of 84, is the easy choice, and Whisper (DEW340) gives you nearly the same brightness if you want a slightly cleaner white.

For a second, lighter wall color in the same room, reach for a quiet mid-tone. Cool December (DEC754), a gray at LRV 60, sits calmly beside the green, while Tundra (DET619), a neutral at LRV 56, adds a warmer, sandier balance.

For accents, Cabaret (DEA152), a deep red, makes a bold front-door or interior-door partner against Pine Forest siding. Warmer wood tones and a brushed-brass or matte-black metal both suit it. If you want a broader natural palette, Berkshire Beige (DEC760) at LRV 50 grounds the scheme with an earthy neutral.