Road Less Traveled
DEBN31 · #8E8070 · LRV 22 — warm red-orange tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Nocturne8
- 2Mocha Latte17
- 3Road Less Traveled22
- 4Dorian Gray39
- 5Mindful Gray48
What Color Is Road Less Traveled, Really?
Road Less Traveled reads as a warm red-orange tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DEBN31 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Road Less Traveled
Road Less Traveled 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.
How Lighting Changes Road Less Traveled
With an LRV of 22, Road Less Traveled is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its orange 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 Road Less Traveled 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 DEBN31 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 | TeakwoodSW 9619 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.9 | 22 | Color page → |
| Behr | Mocha Accent720D-5 · Behr | 1.1 | 23 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Iron Gate1545 · Benjamin Moore | 2.5 | 23 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Chocolate Milk8005-8E · Valspar | 2.0 | 23 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | PatchesPPG1024-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.3 | 21 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Dark AshPPG1025-5 · Glidden | 3.2 | 23 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Road Less Traveled 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 #8E8070 in HSL space. Pair Road Less Traveled with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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