Seared Ash
DESS31 · #474950 · LRV 7 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Seared Ash7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Retreat21
What Color Is Seared Ash, Really?
Seared Ash reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DESS31 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Seared Ash
Seared Ash earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Seared Ash
At LRV 7, Seared Ash 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. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Seared Ash 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 DESS31 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 | CyberspaceSW 7076 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.0 | 6 | Color page → |
| Behr | Black RibbonHDC-CL-24 · Behr | 1.6 | 7 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Witching Hour2120-30 · Benjamin Moore | 1.0 | 9 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Hematite4006-2C · Valspar | 1.6 | 7 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Black ForestPPG1012-7 · PPG / Glidden | 4.3 | 7 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Black ForestPPG1012-7 · Glidden | 4.3 | 7 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Seared Ash 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 #474950 in HSL space. Pair Seared Ash with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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