Color spec
| Brand | HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Brown Aptitude |
| SKU | HGSW 3101 |
| Hex | #69482C |
| RGB | 105, 72, 44 |
| HSL | 28°, 41%, 29% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Brown |
About HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Brown Aptitude
At LRV 8, Brown Aptitude 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.
Brown Aptitude earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
Closest matches by brand
5 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 brown from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Valspar
Glidden
Dutch Boy
Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Brown Aptitude within HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams'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 #69482C in HSL space. Pair Brown Aptitude 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.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Brown Aptitude Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Brown Aptitude 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 HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 3101 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Brown Aptitude
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Brown Aptitude is Sturdy Brown (SW 6097). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Sturdy Brown and you'll get the same color. See the full Sturdy Brown swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Brown Aptitude
Behr has no exact twin of Brown Aptitude. The nearest is Wooden Cabin (290F-7) at ΔE 3.63 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Wooden Cabin swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Brown Aptitude
Valspar's nearest match is Hickory Chips (M247), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.29). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Brown Aptitude without repainting risk. See the full Hickory Chips swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Brown Aptitude
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Brown Aptitude. The nearest is Pinecone Brown (313-7DB) at ΔE 4.67 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Pinecone Brown swatch →