Cardamom
No. CB5 · #665F4B · LRV 12 — warm red-orange tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Black Emerald1
- 2Essex Green6
- 3Cardamom12
- 4Sage Green22
- 5Evergreen Fog30
What Color Is Cardamom, Really?
Cardamom reads as a warm red-orange tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Farrow & Ball No. CB5 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Cardamom
Cardamom works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greens bridge indoors and out, so they suit living rooms, kitchens and sunrooms.
How Lighting Changes Cardamom
With an LRV of 12, Cardamom is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Cardamom 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. CB5 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 | NettleSW 9535 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.6 | 11 | Color page → |
| Behr | Squirrels NestHDC-FL13-9 · Behr | 0.7 | 11 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Durango2137-30 · Benjamin Moore | 2.3 | 11 | Color page → |
| Valspar | City Arboretum6006-4C · Valspar | 2.5 | 11.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Pine ConePPG1102-7 · PPG / Glidden | 2.3 | 11 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Bronzed Ivy50YY 12/095 · Glidden | 1.7 | 12 | Color page → |
Similar Farrow & Ball Colors
The nearest shades to Cardamom 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 #665F4B in HSL space. Pair Cardamom with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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