Cavern Clay
HGSW 7701 · #AC6B53 · LRV 20 — warm red tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Turkish Coffee5
- 2Porpoise13
- 3Cavern Clay20
- 4Modern Mocha25
- 5Redend Point30
What Color Is Cavern Clay, Really?
Cavern Clay reads as a warm red tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 7701 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Cavern Clay
Cavern Clay works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
How Lighting Changes Cavern Clay
With an LRV of 20, Cavern Clay is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Cavern Clay 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 HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 7701 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 | Cavern ClaySW 7701 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.0 | 20 | Color page → |
| Behr | Orange FlambeMQ1-28 · Behr | 2.1 | 21 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Audubon RussetHC-51 · Benjamin Moore | 1.0 | 21 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Pajarito Red2001-7B · Valspar | 3.8 | 19.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | NutmegPPG1068-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.6 | 21 | Color page → |
| Glidden | NutmegPPG1068-6 · Glidden | 2.6 | 21 | Color page → |
Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Cavern Clay 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.
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 #AC6B53 in HSL space. Pair Cavern Clay with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Have you painted with Cavern Clay?
Rate it — one tap helps the next reader decide.
Ask a Question