Caviar
HGSW 6990 · #313031 · LRV 3 — neutral with no strong undertone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
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What Color Is Caviar, Really?
Caviar reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 6990 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Caviar
Caviar earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.
How Lighting Changes Caviar
At LRV 3, Caviar 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. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Caviar 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 6990 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 | CaviarSW 6990 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.0 | 3 | Color page → |
| Behr | Spade BlackBNC-38 · Behr | 4.8 | 3 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Black2132-10 · Benjamin Moore | 0.7 | 5 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Tomcat8006-12G · Valspar | 1.2 | 3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Starless SkyPPG0995-7 · PPG / Glidden | 4.4 | 5 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Onyx Black00NN 05/000 · Glidden | 3.5 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Caviar 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 #313031 in HSL space. Pair Caviar with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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