Color spec
| Brand | Farrow & Ball |
| Name | Pitch Black |
| SKU | No. 256 |
| Hex | #2D2A26 |
| RGB | 45, 42, 38 |
| HSL | 34°, 8%, 16% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Black |
What Color Is Pitch Black, Really?
Pitch Black (No. 256) is Farrow & Ball's true black, and the numbers back that up. With an LRV of 5 it reflects almost no light, so in nearly every room it simply reads as black. Look closely, though, and it is not a cold, blue-based black. The hue sits at 34 degrees with only 8 percent saturation, which means a faint warm, red-brown lean is baked in without ever tipping into obvious brown.
That quiet warmth is why it stays soft rather than harsh. It is the signature black that shows up in almost every F&B editorial spread, used on woodwork, doors and full rooms.
It suits people who want a confident, high-contrast black that still feels a touch inky and organic instead of flat jet. It works in period homes and modern ones alike, wherever you want drama with a warm edge.
On paper Pitch Black leans warm. The hue reads at 34 degrees, in red-orange territory, but the saturation is only 8 percent, so this is a near-neutral black with the faintest warm brown lean rather than a color that shouts brown. In most light it just looks black.
Where the warmth shows is in soft or low light and against cooler surfaces. Put it next to a blue-black or a crisp gray and Pitch Black looks slightly softer and browner. Put it next to warm wood or brass and it settles in and looks purely black.
To judge it honestly, test it beside a true cool black and beside a warm white on the same wall. If you want zero warmth you will see the lean; if you want an inky black that is not clinical, that same lean is the point.
Best Rooms and Uses for Pitch Black
At an LRV of 5 this is a statement and contrast color, not a whole-home light. Used on every wall it makes a small room, a study, a snug or a powder room feel intimate and enveloping, and it makes a dark dining room feel dramatic at night. Pair it with strong lighting and pale trim so it does not close in.
It is a natural on joinery: cabinets, built-in shelving, interior doors and trim, where the depth frames whatever sits against it. As an accent wall behind a bed or fireplace it delivers contrast without committing the whole room.
Outside it is one of the most useful blacks going. It works on a front door, on window frames and on exterior trim, and on shutters or a whole facade for high drama. The warm lean keeps exterior black from looking cold against brick, stone and greenery.
How Lighting Changes Pitch Black
With an LRV of 5, Pitch Black absorbs light instead of bouncing it back, so lighting changes its mood more than its lightness. It will read dark in every room; the question is whether it feels warm and soft or dense and flat.
In north-facing rooms and weaker east or west light, the warm lean helps. It keeps the black from going cold and cavernous, and the surface picks up a subtle depth. South-facing rooms with strong sun will show the most life, catching the sheen and revealing the faint brown warmth at the edges.
Bulb choice matters. Warm white bulbs around 2700K flatter the red-brown base and make the room feel enveloping. Cool daylight bulbs flatten it toward a plain black. Because so little light returns, always try it on more than one wall so you see it in both bright and shadowed corners.
Most complaints about Pitch Black 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 →Pitch Black vs Similar Colors
Against other F&B darks the differences are about warmth and hue, not lightness, since most share a similar LRV. Off-Black No. 57 (LRV 7) is exactly what it sounds like: a softer, slightly lifted near-black that reads gentler on trim, where Pitch Black commits fully to black. If you want unmistakable black, choose Pitch Black; if you want a quieter version, Off-Black.
Railings No. 31 (LRV 6) carries a cool blue-gray lean instead of Pitch Black's warm one, so it looks more like a very dark slate. Use Railings when you want a hint of blue-black; use Pitch Black when you want warm black.
Black Blue No. 95 (LRV 5) matches Pitch Black for depth but leans clearly blue, showing its color in daylight. It suits rooms where you want moody navy-black; Pitch Black stays the more neutral, versatile true black.
Colors That Go With Pitch Black
For crisp contrast trim and ceilings, reach for a high-LRV white. All White No. 2005 (LRV 84) is a clean, uncomplicated choice, while Pointing No. 2003 (LRV 84) and Strong White No. 2001 (LRV 81) add a softer, slightly warmer edge that echoes Pitch Black's own warmth.
For a lighter wall to balance a black room, Elephant's Breath No. 229 (LRV 50) or Skimming Stone No. 241 (LRV 65) give a warm greige that keeps things calm. Cornforth White No. 228 (LRV 60) is a cooler mid-tone alternative.
When you want a second deep color rather than a light one, Hague Blue No. 30 (LRV 6) and Studio Green No. 93 (LRV 8) sit at the same darkness and read as color against the black. Warm wood tones and brass or aged-brass hardware also work well, picking up the faint red-brown base.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Farrow & Ball No. 256 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 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Pitch Black warm or cool?
Pitch Black is a warm black. Its hue sits at 34 degrees, in the red-orange range, though the saturation is low at 8 percent, so the warmth is subtle rather than obviously brown. In most rooms it simply reads as black, but next to a cool blue-black you will notice it looks softer and slightly browner.
Is Pitch Black more brown than black?
No. It reads as a true black in nearly every room thanks to its LRV of 5. There is a faint warm, red-brown lean underneath, which keeps it from feeling cold or clinical, but the saturation is too low for it to look brown. You mainly notice the warmth in soft light or against cooler colors.
What trim white goes with Pitch Black?
For maximum contrast, pair it with a high-LRV white like All White No. 2005 (LRV 84) or Pointing No. 2003 (LRV 84). If you want the trim to feel a touch softer and echo Pitch Black's own warmth, Strong White No. 2001 (LRV 81) is a good choice. All three keep the black looking crisp and intentional.
Does Pitch Black work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes to both. On kitchen cabinets, built-ins and interior doors its depth frames whatever sits against it, especially with brass hardware. Outside it is one of the most useful blacks available, working on front doors, window frames, shutters, trim or a whole facade. The warm lean keeps exterior black from looking cold against brick, stone and greenery.
What does an LRV of 5 mean for Pitch Black?
LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 (black) to 100 (white). At 5, Pitch Black reflects almost no light, so it reads as a genuine dark black and absorbs light rather than bouncing it back. In practice that means it makes rooms feel enveloping and needs good lighting and pale trim so it does not feel closed in.
How is Pitch Black different from Railings?
Both are very dark, with Pitch Black at LRV 5 and Railings No. 31 at LRV 6, so they match closely for depth. The difference is the lean: Pitch Black is warm, with a faint red-brown base, while Railings has a cool blue-gray lean that reads more like dark slate. Choose Pitch Black for warm black, Railings for a hint of blue-black.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Pitch Black behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY PITCH BLACK ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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