Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Soot |
| SKU | DE6321 |
| Hex | #555E5F |
| RGB | 85, 94, 95 |
| HSL | 186°, 6%, 35% |
| LRV | 10 |
| Undertone | cool blue-green tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Dunn-Edwards Soot
With an LRV of 10, Soot is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Soot works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
15 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Soot within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #555E5F in HSL space. Pair Soot with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Dunn-Edwards Soot Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Soot from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DE6321 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Soot
Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Forged Steel (SW 9565) at ΔE 4.7 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Forged Steel swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Soot
Behr has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Pencil Point (PPU18-02) at ΔE 4.06 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Pencil Point swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Soot
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Flint (AF-560), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.84). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 10) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Soot without repainting risk. See the full Flint swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Soot
At Valspar, the closest color to Soot is Carriage Wheel (M330) — very close at ΔE 3.32, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 11.5 vs 10) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Carriage Wheel swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Soot
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Soot is Mostly Metal (PPG1036-7). At ΔE 0.48 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Mostly Metal and you'll get the same color. See the full Mostly Metal swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Soot
The closest Glidden equivalent of Soot is Mostly Metal (PPG1036-7). At ΔE 0.98 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). If Glidden is your counter, order Mostly Metal and you'll get the same color. See the full Mostly Metal swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Soot
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Sprucey (429-6DB) at ΔE 4.13 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Sprucey swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Soot
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Oceanus (HGSW 3301) at ΔE 4.13 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Oceanus swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Soot
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Soot is Beetle Black (NO. G16) — very close at ΔE 2.55, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Beetle Black swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Soot
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Soot is Deep Space (0487) — very close at ΔE 2.16, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 10) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Deep Space swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Soot
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Zen Retreat (0535) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Zen Retreat swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Soot
Rodda's nearest match is Shale (CA192), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.59). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Soot without repainting risk. See the full Shale swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Soot
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Saville Row (C2-790) at ΔE 4.57 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Saville Row swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Soot
Clare has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Goodnight Moon (PNT100-DP-42) at ΔE 3.98 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Goodnight Moon swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Soot
Kompozit has no exact twin of Soot. The nearest is Zen Retreat (0535) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 11 vs 10). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Zen Retreat swatch →