Color spec
| Brand | Dutch Boy |
| Name | Smoldered |
| SKU | 444-4DB |
| Hex | #7F7A7D |
| RGB | 127, 122, 125 |
| HSL | 324°, 2%, 49% |
| LRV | 20 |
| Undertone | true neutral (no measurable hue) |
| Family | Gray |
About Dutch Boy Smoldered
With an LRV of 20, Smoldered 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.
Smoldered 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 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 gray from that brand.
Valspar
Diamond Vogel
Sherwin-Williams
Kompozit
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Behr
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Clare
C2 Paint
Backdrop
Similar Dutch Boy colors
closest in the Dutch Boy deckThe nearest shades to Smoldered 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 #7F7A7D in HSL space. Pair Smoldered 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 Smoldered Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Smoldered 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 444-4DB directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Valspar Equivalent of Smoldered
The closest Valspar equivalent of Smoldered is Night on the Moors (8004-1E). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). If Valspar is your counter, order Night on the Moors and you'll get the same color. See the full Night on the Moors swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Smoldered
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Ocean Frigate (0555), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.34). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Smoldered without repainting risk. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Smoldered
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Special Gray (SW 6277), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.63). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Smoldered without repainting risk. See the full Special Gray swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Smoldered
At Kompozit, the closest color to Smoldered is Ocean Frigate (0555) — very close at ΔE 2.2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Smoldered
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Smoldered. The nearest is Tarnished Silver (DE6355) at ΔE 3.72 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tarnished Silver swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Smoldered
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Smoldered. The nearest is Wooden Palette (JG-130) at ΔE 3.87 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 22 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wooden Palette swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Smoldered
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Smoldered. The nearest is City Skyline (PPG0995-6) at ΔE 4.04 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full City Skyline swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Smoldered
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Smoldered. The nearest is Steel Wool (2121-20) at ΔE 4.68 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Steel Wool swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Smoldered
Behr has no exact twin of Smoldered. The nearest is Greyhound (PPU24-21) at ΔE 4.92 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Greyhound swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Smoldered
Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Smoldered — the nearest deck color, Irony (PNT100-MD-16), is clearly different (ΔE 5.98). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 444-4DB instead. See the full Irony swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Smoldered
C2 Paint doesn't make a true equivalent of Smoldered — the nearest deck color, Urbane (C2-808), is clearly different (ΔE 6.64). For an exact match, any C2 Paint retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 444-4DB instead. See the full Urbane swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Smoldered
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Smoldered — the nearest deck color, De Nimes (NO. 299), is clearly different (ΔE 11.68). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 444-4DB instead. See the full De Nimes swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Smoldered
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Smoldered — the nearest deck color, Hartford (BD-HF), is clearly different (ΔE 12.41). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Dutch Boy 444-4DB instead. See the full Hartford swatch →