Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Steep Escarpment |
| SKU | DESS44 |
| Hex | #948E80 |
| RGB | 148, 142, 128 |
| HSL | 42°, 9%, 54% |
| LRV | 27 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral |
About Dunn-Edwards Steep Escarpment
Steep Escarpment sits in the mid-range at LRV 27, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Steep Escarpment is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
Closest matches at every US brand
13 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all neutral from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
PPG / Glidden
Behr
Valspar
Benjamin Moore
Magnolia Home
Dutch Boy
C2 Paint
Kompozit
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Clare
Backdrop
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Steep Escarpment 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 #948E80 in HSL space. Pair Steep Escarpment 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 Steep Escarpment Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Steep Escarpment 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 DESS44 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Studio Clay (SW 9172), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.11). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 27 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Steep Escarpment without repainting risk. See the full Studio Clay swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Winter Feather (PPG14-06), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.4). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 27 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Steep Escarpment without repainting risk. See the full Winter Feather swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
Behr's nearest match is Smokey Tan (BXC-49), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.62). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 28 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Steep Escarpment without repainting risk. See the full Smokey Tan swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
Valspar's nearest match is Old Soul (M352), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.64). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 26.9 vs 27) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Steep Escarpment without repainting risk. See the full Old Soul swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Steep Escarpment is Sage Mountain (1488) — very close at ΔE 2.39, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 28 vs 27) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sage Mountain swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Steep Escarpment is Stone Cottage (421-4DB) — very close at ΔE 2.54, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 28 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Stone Cottage swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Steep Escarpment is Parador (C2-922) — very close at ΔE 2.54, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 28 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Parador swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
At Kompozit, the closest color to Steep Escarpment is Sultry Castle (0562) — very close at ΔE 2.66, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 27 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sultry Castle swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Steep Escarpment is Chemise (NO. 216) — very close at ΔE 2.92, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 29 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Chemise swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Steep Escarpment is Sultry Castle (0562) — very close at ΔE 3.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 28 vs 27) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sultry Castle swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Steep Escarpment. The nearest is Before & After (JG-146) at ΔE 3.82 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 27 vs 27). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Before & After swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
Clare has no exact twin of Steep Escarpment. The nearest is Shade (PNT100-MD-14) at ΔE 4.73 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 28 vs 27). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Shade swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Steep Escarpment
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Steep Escarpment — the nearest deck color, Anita (BD-AN), is clearly different (ΔE 6.13). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DESS44 instead. See the full Anita swatch →