Color guide · Dunn-Edwards · Brown

Plum Pudding Mahogany

DESS01 · #5F484C · LRV 8 · warm red tone

DESS01 · #5F484C · LRV 8 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Plum Pudding MahoganyDunn-Edwards · DESS01
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Plum Pudding Mahogany
DUNN-EDWARDS · DESS01 · #5F484C
Brand · codeDunn-EdwardsDESS01 · all Dunn-Edwards browns
LRV8Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonewarm red tone
FamilyBrown
Hex · RGB · HSL#5F484C · 95, 72, 76 · 350°, 14%, 33%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Polished Mahogany3
  2. 2Plum Pudding Mahogany8
  3. 3Porpoise13
  4. 4Cavern Clay20
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Plum Pudding Mahogany, Really?

Plum Pudding Mahogany reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DESS01 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Plum Pudding Mahogany

Plum Pudding Mahogany 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Plum Pudding Mahogany

At LRV 8, Plum Pudding Mahogany 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Plum Pudding Mahogany 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DESS01 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors

The nearest shades to Plum Pudding Mahogany within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Plum Pudding Mahogany · 2.5 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Plum Pudding Mahogany · 8.3 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #5F484C in HSL space. Pair Plum Pudding Mahogany with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#5F484C + #485F5B
TRIADIC
#5F484C · #4C5F48 · #484C5F
ANALOGOUS
#5F4858 · #5F484C · #5F5048

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Jessica Williams

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