Preference Red
No. 297 · #6F4449 · LRV 8 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Rookwood Dark Red3
- 2Preference Red8
- 3Million Dollar Red13
- 4Cinnamon Slate19
What Color Is Preference Red, Really?
Preference Red reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Farrow & Ball No. 297 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Preference Red
Preference Red earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
How Lighting Changes Preference Red
At LRV 8, Preference Red 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 red 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.
Most complaints about Preference Red 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. 297 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 | Carriage DoorSW 7594 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.2 | 8 | Color page → |
| Behr | Formal MaroonPPU1-14 · Behr | 1.0 | 8 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Ruby Dusk1267 · Benjamin Moore | 2.0 | 9 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Stoic1010-6 · Valspar | 2.1 | 7.2 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Red Red WinePPG1049-7 · PPG / Glidden | 1.8 | 8 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Red Red WinePPG1049-7 · Glidden | 1.5 | 8 | Color page → |
Similar Farrow & Ball Colors
The nearest shades to Preference Red 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 #6F4449 in HSL space. Pair Preference Red with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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