Color spec
| Brand | Glidden |
| Name | Olive Black |
| SKU | 50YY 09/101 |
| Hex | #5A5545 |
| RGB | 90, 85, 69 |
| HSL | 46°, 13%, 31% |
| LRV | 9 |
| Undertone | warm yellow tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Glidden Olive Black
At LRV 9, Olive 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 yellow 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.
Olive 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. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
15 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 gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Glidden colors
closest in the Glidden deckThe nearest shades to Olive Black within Glidden'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 #5A5545 in HSL space. Pair Olive 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.
Glidden Olive Black Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Olive 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 Glidden 50YY 09/101 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Olive Black
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Olive Black is Muddled Basil (SW 7745) — very close at ΔE 2.17, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Muddled Basil swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Olive Black
At Behr, the closest color to Olive Black is Swiss Brown (N210-6) — very close at ΔE 2.14, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Swiss Brown swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Olive Black
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Dakota Woods Green (2139-20), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.42). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Olive Black without repainting risk. See the full Dakota Woods Green swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Olive Black
The closest Valspar equivalent of Olive Black is Olive Smudge (6001-2C). At ΔE 0.76 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm yellow undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 8.8 vs 9). If Valspar is your counter, order Olive Smudge and you'll get the same color. See the full Olive Smudge swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Olive Black
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Olive Black is Walnut Grove (PPG1028-7). At ΔE 0.75 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Walnut Grove and you'll get the same color. See the full Walnut Grove swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Olive Black
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Olive Black is Ironside (422-7DB) — very close at ΔE 2.37, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ironside swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Olive Black
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Olive Black is Subterranean (HGSW 3221) — very close at ΔE 2.17, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Subterranean swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Olive Black
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Olive Black. The nearest is Step Stool Green (JG-160) at ΔE 3.76 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Step Stool Green swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Olive Black
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Reduced Green (NO. 313), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.87). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Olive Black without repainting risk. See the full Reduced Green swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Olive Black
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Olive Black is Terra Pin (0571) — very close at ΔE 3.17, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Terra Pin swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Olive Black
Hirshfield's's nearest match is Monogram (0424), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.84). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 9) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Olive Black without repainting risk. See the full Monogram swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Olive Black
Rodda's nearest match is Garden Moss (R048), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.97). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Olive Black without repainting risk. See the full Garden Moss swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Olive Black
Portola Paints has no exact twin of Olive Black. The nearest is Wonderland (WONDERLAND) at ΔE 4.94 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wonderland swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Olive Black
Kompozit's nearest match is Monogram (0424), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.84). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Olive Black without repainting risk. See the full Monogram swatch →