Color spec
| Brand | Farrow & Ball |
| Name | Pitch Black |
| SKU | No. 256 |
| Hex | #2D2A26 |
| RGB | 45, 42, 38 |
| HSL | 34°, 8%, 16% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Black |
About Farrow & Ball Pitch Black
At LRV 5, Pitch Black 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.
Pitch Black earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.
Closest matches by brand
8 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all black from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Hirshfield's
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Farrow & Ball colors
closest in the Farrow & Ball deckThe nearest shades to Pitch Black 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 #2D2A26 in HSL space. Pair Pitch Black 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.
Farrow & Ball Pitch Black Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Pitch Black 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 Farrow & Ball No. 256 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Pitch Black
Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is Tricorn Black (SW 6258) at ΔE 3.86 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 3 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tricorn Black swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Pitch Black
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is Black (PM-9) at ΔE 3.86 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Black swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Pitch Black
Valspar has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is Dark Kettle Black (4011-2) at ΔE 4.94 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 2.3 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Dark Kettle Black swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Pitch Black
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is True Black (438-7DB) at ΔE 3.86 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 3 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full True Black swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Pitch Black
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is Tricorn Black (HGSW 1441) at ΔE 3.86 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 3 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Tricorn Black swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Pitch Black
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is Silent Sea (0515) at ΔE 3.84 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Silent Sea swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Pitch Black
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Pitch Black is Factory Black (FACTORY BLACK) — very close at ΔE 2.86, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 2 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Factory Black swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Pitch Black
Kompozit has no exact twin of Pitch Black. The nearest is Silent Sea (0515) at ΔE 3.84 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 2 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Silent Sea swatch →