Color spec
| Brand | Hirshfield's |
| Name | Subway |
| SKU | 0536 |
| Hex | #454543 |
| RGB | 69, 69, 67 |
| HSL | 60°, 1%, 27% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | true neutral (no measurable hue) |
| Family | Black |
About Hirshfield's Subway
At LRV 8, Subway 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.
Subway 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.
Closest matches at every US brand
20 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all black from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Backdrop
Rust-Oleum
Kompozit
Similar Hirshfield's colors
closest in the Hirshfield's deckThe nearest shades to Subway within Hirshfield's'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 #454543 in HSL space. Pair Subway 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.
Hirshfield's Subway Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Subway 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 Hirshfield's 0536 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Subway
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Subway is Iron Ore (SW 7069). At ΔE 0.67 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Iron Ore and you'll get the same color. See the full Iron Ore swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Subway
The closest Behr equivalent of Subway is Broadway (PPU18-20). At ΔE 0.75 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). If Behr is your counter, order Broadway and you'll get the same color. See the full Broadway swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Subway
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Subway is Graphite (1603) — very close at ΔE 2.08, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Graphite swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Subway
At Valspar, the closest color to Subway is Ebony Keys (8006-2G) — very close at ΔE 2.74, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ebony Keys swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Subway
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Onyx (PPG1011-7), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.64). It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Subway without repainting risk. See the full Onyx swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Subway
Glidden's nearest match is Onyx (PPG1011-7), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.04). It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Subway without repainting risk. See the full Onyx swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Subway
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Subway. The nearest is Charcoal Brick (405-7DB) at ΔE 3.94 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Charcoal Brick swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Subway
The closest HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Subway is Carbonized (HGSW 1481). At ΔE 0.67 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). If HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Carbonized and you'll get the same color. See the full Carbonized swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Subway
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Subway is Chocolate Bronze (DEB007) — very close at ΔE 2.1, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Chocolate Bronze swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Subway
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Subway. The nearest is Arches (JG-97) at ΔE 4.87 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Arches swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Subway
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Subway is Off-Black (NO. 57) — very close at ΔE 2.71, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Off-Black swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Subway
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Subway is Macon Spruce (H098) — very close at ΔE 2.45, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Macon Spruce swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Subway
At Rodda, the closest color to Subway is Dark Ages (R090) — very close at ΔE 2.81, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dark Ages swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Subway
C2 Paint's nearest match is Stout (C2-965), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.39). It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Subway without repainting risk. See the full Stout swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Subway
The closest Clare equivalent of Subway is Blackish (PNT100-DP-54). At ΔE 0.98 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). If Clare is your counter, order Blackish and you'll get the same color. See the full Blackish swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Subway
Portola Paints's nearest match is Black Sky (BLACK SKY), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.57). It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Subway without repainting risk. See the full Black Sky swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Subway
Annie Sloan doesn't make a true equivalent of Subway — the nearest deck color, Aubusson Blue (AUBUSSON BLUE), is clearly different (ΔE 10.13). For an exact match, any Annie Sloan retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 0536 instead. See the full Aubusson Blue swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Subway
Backdrop has no exact twin of Subway. The nearest is After Hours (BD-AH) at ΔE 3.71 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full After Hours swatch →
Rust-Oleum Equivalent of Subway
Rust-Oleum doesn't make a true equivalent of Subway — the nearest deck color, Charcoal (285144), is clearly different (ΔE 5.2). For an exact match, any Rust-Oleum retailer can custom-tint Hirshfield's 0536 instead. See the full Charcoal swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Subway
The closest Kompozit equivalent of Subway is Subway (0536). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 6 vs 8). If Kompozit is your counter, order Subway and you'll get the same color. See the full Subway swatch →