Mesa
Mesa · #C2785B · LRV 26 — warm red tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Rookwood Terra Cotta14
- 2Rusty Gate19
- 3Mesa26
- 4Caramelized35
- 5Venetian Plaster42
What Color Is Mesa, Really?
Mesa reads as a warm red tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Portola Paints Mesa behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Mesa
Mesa is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Earthy oranges and terracottas warm up dining rooms and entries.
How Lighting Changes Mesa
Mesa sits in the mid-range at LRV 26, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Mesa 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 Portola Paints Mesa 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 | Baked ClaySW 6340 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.3 | 26 | Color page → |
| Behr | Warm Terra CottaPMD-11 · Behr | 1.4 | 25 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Pennies From Heaven063 · Benjamin Moore | 2.5 | 25 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Clove Bud2004-5B · Valspar | 2.5 | 26.2 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Brown ClayPPG1199-6 · PPG / Glidden | 3.0 | 27 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Brown ClayPPG1199-6 · Glidden | 2.4 | 27 | Color page → |
Similar Portola Paints Colors
The nearest shades to Mesa within Portola Paints'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 #C2785B in HSL space. Pair Mesa with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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