Color spec
| Brand | Farrow & Ball |
| Name | Dead Salmon |
| SKU | No. 28 |
| Hex | #C7AC97 |
| RGB | 199, 172, 151 |
| HSL | 26°, 30%, 69% |
| LRV | 47 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Pink |
What Color Is Dead Salmon, Really?
Dead Salmon (No. 28) from Farrow & Ball is a muted pink-beige. The name sounds odd, but on the wall it reads as a soft, dusty putty with a clear warm blush running through it. Its measured makeup, a warm red-orange base with moderate softness and a light-medium body, means it never looks like a bright pink. Instead it lands somewhere between clay, greige and old-plaster rose.
With an LRV of 47 it sits right in the middle of the light scale, so it holds real color without going dark. That is a big part of why it took off: it photographs beautifully and became a signature social-media pink-beige for the brand.
It suits older homes, period rooms and anyone who wants warmth and a hint of pink without a full commitment to color. It flatters both traditional and modern interiors.
Dead Salmon leans warm, toward a soft red-orange. That is what gives it the dusty rose or clay quality rather than a flat beige. Its saturation is moderate, not washed out, so the pink is a real presence and not just a whisper. In most rooms you will read it as a warm putty with a blush cast.
Where and when the undertone shows depends on what surrounds it. Against a crisp white trim, the pink and warmth step forward. Next to other beiges or greiges, it can look pinker by comparison, while next to a true pink it will look more brown and grounded.
Test it against a bright white card and against a cool gray. The white pulls out the blush and warmth; the gray exposes how earthy and muted it really is. Always sample on more than one wall before deciding.
Best Rooms and Uses for Dead Salmon
At an LRV of 47, Dead Salmon is versatile enough for full walls without darkening a room, yet it has enough color to feel intentional rather than plain. It works well as a whole-room wall color in bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and hallways, where its warmth makes the space feel enveloping and calm.
It is a strong choice for period homes and rooms with good natural light, since the color reveals its best pink-clay character there. In darker rooms it can turn more muddy, so test carefully.
Beyond walls, it suits cabinetry and joinery where you want warmth without a loud color, and it makes a welcoming exterior or front-door shade in the right setting. Because it is a mid-tone, it is not a high-contrast statement color, so lean on trim and accents to give the scheme structure.
How Lighting Changes Dead Salmon
With a mid LRV of 47, Dead Salmon has enough depth to shift noticeably as the light changes through the day, which is exactly why it needs testing in the actual room.
In north-facing rooms the cooler light mutes the pink and can make it read more like a soft taupe or greige. South-facing rooms flood it with warm light, and the blush and clay tones come alive, sometimes looking distinctly rosy. East rooms give a warm, pink-forward morning that cools by afternoon, while west rooms stay muted early and glow warm toward evening.
Bulb choice matters just as much. Warm white bulbs around 2700K push it toward rose and terracotta. Cooler bulbs near 4000K calm the pink and let the beige and gray sides show. If you want to keep the pink in check, favor a slightly cooler bulb; if you want it cozy, go warm.
Most complaints about Dead Salmon 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Dead Salmon vs Similar Colors
Templeton Pink (No. 303) shares the same LRV of 47 but reads as a cleaner, slightly more lifted pink-beige. Choose Dead Salmon when you want a dustier, more grounded clay tone, and Templeton Pink when you want the blush to feel a touch fresher.
Jitney (No. 293), LRV 46, is close in lightness but leans more toward neutral greige, with less obvious pink. If Dead Salmon looks too rosy in your light, Jitney is the calmer, more taupe alternative at nearly the same brightness.
Smoked Trout (No. 60), at LRV 41, is darker and more muted. It gives you a similar warm putty character with more depth and shadow, which suits rooms where you want the walls to feel a little moodier. Sample all three side by side, since the differences are subtle on a chip but obvious across a full wall.
Colors That Go With Dead Salmon
For trim and ceilings, a soft off-white keeps things gentle rather than stark. All White (No. 2005), at LRV 84, gives a clean but warm frame, while Pointing (No. 2003), also LRV 84, is a slightly softer white that suits period rooms. Either keeps the woodwork bright without fighting the pink.
For contrast and depth, dark blues and near-blacks look excellent with this warm putty. Hague Blue (No. 30) at LRV 6 or Inchyra Blue (No. 289) at LRV 12 work beautifully on a feature wall, a door or lower cabinetry. Pitch Black (No. 256), LRV 5, is a dramatic option for joinery or a front door.
As a second, tonal wall color, Setting Plaster (No. 231) at LRV 56 is a lighter warm pink that steps up gently. Warm woods like oak and walnut and brass or aged-bronze metals round out the scheme naturally.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Farrow & Ball No. 28 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Farrow & Ball colors
closest in the Farrow & Ball deckThe nearest shades to Dead Salmon within Farrow & Ball'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 #C7AC97 in HSL space. Pair Dead Salmon 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Dead Salmon warm or cool?
Dead Salmon is a warm color. Its base is a soft red-orange, which gives it a dusty pink-clay quality rather than a cool or gray look. In warm light it reads rosy and cozy, while cooler light calms the pink and lets the beige side show. It never reads as a cool tone.
Is Dead Salmon more pink or more brown?
It sits between the two. Dead Salmon is a muted pink-beige, so you see a clear blush but grounded by an earthy, clay-like brown. Next to a crisp white it looks pinker, and next to a true pink it looks more brown and neutral. Most people describe it as a dusty rose or old-plaster putty.
What trim white goes with Dead Salmon?
A soft, warm white works best so the trim does not look harsh against the blush walls. All White (No. 2005) at LRV 84 gives a clean but warm frame, and Pointing (No. 2003) at the same LRV is a slightly softer option that suits period rooms. Both keep woodwork bright without fighting the pink.
Does Dead Salmon work on cabinets or exteriors?
Yes. Its mid LRV of 47 makes it warm and welcoming on cabinetry and joinery where you want color without a loud statement. It also makes an inviting exterior or front-door shade in the right light. Because it can turn muddy in poor light, test it on the actual surface and orientation before committing.
What does an LRV of 47 mean for Dead Salmon?
LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 47, Dead Salmon sits right in the middle. It holds real color and warmth without darkening a room, but it is not a pale, light-boosting shade either. Expect it to shift visibly with the light through the day.
How is Dead Salmon different from Templeton Pink?
Both share an LRV of 47, so they are equally light. The difference is character: Dead Salmon (No. 28) reads dustier and more grounded, with a clay undertone, while Templeton Pink (No. 303) looks a little cleaner and fresher. Pick Dead Salmon for a muted, aged look and Templeton Pink for a slightly livelier blush.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Dead Salmon behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY DEAD SALMON ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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