Van Dyke Brown
HGSW 2481 · #564536 · LRV 7 — warm red-orange tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Weathervane2
- 2Van Dyke Brown7
- 3Porpoise13
- 4Cavern Clay20
What Color Is Van Dyke Brown, Really?
Van Dyke Brown reads as a warm red-orange tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 2481 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Van Dyke Brown
Van Dyke Brown 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.
How Lighting Changes Van Dyke Brown
At LRV 7, Van Dyke Brown 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.
Most complaints about Van Dyke Brown 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 2481 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 | Van Dyke BrownSW 7041 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.0 | 7 | Color page → |
| Behr | Breakfast Blend280F-7 · Behr | 2.7 | 6 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Deep Taupe2111-10 · Benjamin Moore | 2.6 | 8 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Momentous Occasion8005-10G · Valspar | 2.2 | 7 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Dark GranitePPG1005-7 · PPG / Glidden | 5.0 | 6 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Earth Brown00YY 07/093 · Glidden | 2.7 | 7 | Color page → |
Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Van Dyke Brown 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 #564536 in HSL space. Pair Van Dyke Brown with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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