Buff
No. 20 · #B49D82 · LRV 35 — warm red-orange tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Anonymous20
- 2Felted Wool28
- 3Buff35
- 4Revere Pewter55
- 5Agreeable Gray60
What Color Is Buff, Really?
Buff reads as a warm red-orange tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Farrow & Ball No. 20 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Buff
Buff 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.
How Lighting Changes Buff
Buff sits in the mid-range at LRV 35, 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.
Most complaints about Buff 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 Farrow & Ball No. 20 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 | Dried EdamameSW 9122 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.2 | 36 | Color page → |
| Behr | Mission HillsUL170-3 · Behr | 1.0 | 34 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Coffeehouse TanCW-130 · Benjamin Moore | 1.6 | 37 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Faint Maple2008-9C · Valspar | 2.5 | 35.8 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Weathered WoodPPG1077-4 · PPG / Glidden | 2.2 | 35 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Weathered WoodPPG1077-4 · Glidden | 1.8 | 35 | Color page → |
Similar Farrow & Ball Colors
The nearest shades to Buff within Farrow & Ball'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 #B49D82 in HSL space. Pair Buff with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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