Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Cold Espresso |
| SKU | 442-7DB |
| Hex | #554434 |
| RGB | 85, 68, 52 |
| HSL | 29°, 24%, 27% |
| LRV | 6 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Brown |
About Dutch Boy Cold Espresso
At LRV 6, Cold Espresso 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 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Cold Espresso 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.
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 brown from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Backdrop
Magnolia Home
PPG / Glidden
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Kompozit
Farrow & Ball
C2 Paint
Clare
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Cold Espresso within Dutch Boy'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 #554434 in HSL space. Pair Cold Espresso 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.
Dutch Boy Cold Espresso Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Cold Espresso 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 Dutch Boy 442-7DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Cold Espresso
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Cold Espresso is Van Dyke Brown (SW 7041). At ΔE 0.61 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 6). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Van Dyke Brown and you'll get the same color. See the full Van Dyke Brown swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Cold Espresso
At Behr, the closest color to Cold Espresso is Breakfast Blend (280F-7) — very close at ΔE 2.49, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 6) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Breakfast Blend swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Cold Espresso
At Valspar, the closest color to Cold Espresso is Swiss Chocolate (3010-10) — very close at ΔE 2.51, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5.9 vs 6) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Swiss Chocolate swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Cold Espresso
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Cold Espresso is Deep Taupe (2111-10) — very close at ΔE 2.8, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 8 vs 6) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Deep Taupe swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Backdrop has no exact twin of Cold Espresso. The nearest is It's a Date (BD-IT) at ΔE 3.74 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 6). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full It's a Date swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Cold Espresso. The nearest is Wooded Acres (JG-122) at ΔE 4.65 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 6). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wooded Acres swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Cold Espresso
PPG / Glidden doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, Dark Granite (PPG1005-7), is clearly different (ΔE 5.34). For an exact match, any PPG / Glidden retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full Dark Granite swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Diamond Vogel doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, Canton Court (H142), is clearly different (ΔE 5.64). For an exact match, any Diamond Vogel retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full Canton Court swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Dunn-Edwards doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, Spiced Hot Chocolate (DET691), is clearly different (ΔE 5.87). For an exact match, any Dunn-Edwards retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full Spiced Hot Chocolate swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Kompozit doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, Philosophically Speaking (0578), is clearly different (ΔE 6.67). For an exact match, any Kompozit retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full Philosophically Speaking swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, Mahogany (NO. 36), is clearly different (ΔE 7.46). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full Mahogany swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Cold Espresso
C2 Paint doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, French Roast (C2-837), is clearly different (ΔE 7.7). For an exact match, any C2 Paint retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full French Roast swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Cold Espresso
Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Cold Espresso — the nearest deck color, Blackish (PNT100-DP-54), is clearly different (ΔE 9.8). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 442-7DB instead. See the full Blackish swatch →