CP
PORTOLA PAINTS · STORY TELLER

Portola Paints Story Teller#2E3133 · LRV 3

Story Teller reads as a blue / cool — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover the spec, what Portola Paints Story Teller actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

PORTOLA PAINTS STORY TELLER
RGB 46, 49, 51 LRV 3

Color spec

Brand Portola Paints
Name Story Teller
SKU Story Teller
Hex #2E3133
RGB 46, 49, 51
HSL 204°, 5%, 19%
LRV 3
Undertone blue / cool
Family Black

About Portola Paints Story Teller

At LRV 3, Story Teller 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.

Story Teller 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 each

5 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

1,947 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.89
All black at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 6258 · #2F2F30 · ΔE 1.89 · LRV 3
SW 6990 · #313031 · ΔE 2.51 · LRV 3
SW 6991 · #323132 · ΔE 2.52 · LRV 3
SW 9685 · #2A3037 · ΔE 3.14 · LRV 3
SW 6989 · #353337 · ΔE 3.97 · LRV 3

Behr

5,644 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.29
All black at Behr →
N510-7 · #2C3335 · ΔE 2.29 · LRV 3
BNC-38 · #2D3439 · ΔE 2.5 · LRV 3
BXC-02 · #2B3439 · ΔE 3.17 · LRV 3
N520-7 · #283235 · ΔE 3.58 · LRV 3
S-H-790 · #293331 · ΔE 5.25 · LRV 3

Benjamin Moore

3,934 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.17
All black at Benjamin Moore →
2131-10 · #313435 · ΔE 1.17 · LRV 5
2132-10 · #313132 · ΔE 1.84 · LRV 5
HC-190 · #313132 · ΔE 1.84 · LRV 5
2119-10 · #333334 · ΔE 2.01 · LRV 5
2120-10 · #333334 · ΔE 2.01 · LRV 5

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.07
All black at Valspar →
8006-12G · #2F2F2F · ΔE 2.07 · LRV 3
V114-3 · #2F2F2F · ΔE 2.07 · LRV 2.8
4009-2 · #2E2E30 · ΔE 2.08 · LRV 2.8
5011-1 · #2D3435 · ΔE 2.66 · LRV 3.3
5011-2 · #2F3238 · ΔE 2.71 · LRV 3.2

PPG / Glidden

2,132 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.28
All black at PPG / Glidden →
PPG0995-7 · #3C3D3D · ΔE 4.28 · LRV 5
PPG1001-7 · #404040 · ΔE 5.41 · LRV 5
FLLW36 · #404149 · ΔE 6.96 · LRV 5
PPG1013-7 · #404049 · ΔE 7.36 · LRV 5
PPG14-05 · #3D4645 · ΔE 7.63 · LRV 6

Glidden

3,101 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.27
All black at Glidden →
00NN 05/000 · #3C3B3C · ΔE 4.27 · LRV 5
PPG0995-7 · #3C3D3D · ΔE 4.28 · LRV 5
PPG1001-7 · #414040 · ΔE 5.7 · LRV 5
PPG1013-7 · #404149 · ΔE 6.96 · LRV 5
50GG 05/063 · #374442 · ΔE 8.28 · LRV 5

Dutch Boy

1,340 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.89
All black at Dutch Boy →
438-7DB · #2F2F30 · ΔE 1.89 · LRV 3
444-7DB · #38363D · ΔE 5.49 · LRV 4
429-7DB · #2B3A40 · ΔE 5.86 · LRV 4
445-7DB · #3A373E · ΔE 6.07 · LRV 4
333-7DB · #23383F · ΔE 7.48 · LRV 4
HGSW 1441 · #2F2F30 · ΔE 1.89 · LRV 3
HGSW 6258 · #2F2F30 · ΔE 1.89 · LRV 3
HGSW 6990 · #313031 · ΔE 2.51 · LRV 3
HGSW 3331 · #23383F · ΔE 7.48 · LRV 4
HGSW 6237 · #23383F · ΔE 7.48 · LRV 4

Dunn-Edwards

2,298 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.05
All black at Dunn-Edwards →
DEA002 · #3B3A3A · ΔE 4.05 · LRV 4
DESS50 · #3C3C3C · ΔE 4.22 · LRV 5
DE6350 · #3E3F41 · ΔE 4.84 · LRV 5
DEBN13 · #463C3D · ΔE 9.04 · LRV 5
DEA185 · #343B4E · ΔE 9.64 · LRV 5

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.86
All black at Magnolia Home →
JG-05 · #31343A · ΔE 2.86 · LRV 3
JG-97 · #40464B · ΔE 7.01 · LRV 6
JG-150 · #3F3632 · ΔE 7.97 · LRV 4
JG-144 · #48474C · ΔE 8.34 · LRV 6
JG-102 · #4B3C49 · ΔE 13.39 · LRV 5

Farrow & Ball

209 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.39
All black at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 256 · #3B3938 · ΔE 4.39 · LRV 4
NO. 57 · #454749 · ΔE 7.29 · LRV 6
NO. 31 · #45494C · ΔE 7.84 · LRV 7
NO. 294 · #484348 · ΔE 8.65 · LRV 6
NO. 36 · #534644 · ΔE 12.17 · LRV 7

Diamond Vogel

1,386 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.26
All black at Diamond Vogel →
H101 · #393A3B · ΔE 3.26 · LRV 4
0515 · #3D3D3E · ΔE 4.46 · LRV 5
0529 · #464747 · ΔE 7.45 · LRV 6
H098 · #454742 · ΔE 8.4 · LRV 6
H065 · #523E49 · ΔE 15.04 · LRV 6

Hirshfield's

1,469 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.18
All black at Hirshfield's →
0515 · #2A2B2C · ΔE 2.18 · LRV 5
H0101 · #383839 · ΔE 3.05 · LRV 4
0529 · #3A3B3B · ΔE 3.68 · LRV 6
0522 · #38393F · ΔE 4.28 · LRV 6
1229 · #40373E · ΔE 8.95 · LRV 6

Rodda

357 colors in deck · best ΔE 6.03
All black at Rodda →
R018 · #424242 · ΔE 6.03 · LRV 6
CA210 · #393C46 · ΔE 6.22 · LRV 5
CA213 · #443F3E · ΔE 7.09 · LRV 5
CA222 · #474140 · ΔE 8 · LRV 5
CA216 · #494040 · ΔE 9.19 · LRV 5

C2 Paint

580 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.94
All black at C2 Paint →
C2-981 · #3B3B3B · ΔE 3.94 · LRV 4
C2-757 · #393E48 · ΔE 6.31 · LRV 5
C2-677 · #39423F · ΔE 7.18 · LRV 5
BD49 · #3E373F · ΔE 8.29 · LRV 4
BD42 · #48343D · ΔE 13.93 · LRV 4

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 8.03
All black at Clare →
PNT100-DP-54 · #484745 · ΔE 8.03 · LRV 6
PNT100-DP-55 · #515052 · ΔE 10.83 · LRV 8
PNT100-DP-42 · #545E66 · ΔE 15.29 · LRV 11
PNT100-DP-77 · #604B56 · ΔE 17.44 · LRV 8
PNT100-MD-40 · #41656D · ΔE 19.36 · LRV 12

Annie Sloan

31 colors in deck · best ΔE 10.22
All black at Annie Sloan →
AUBUSSON BLUE · #314850 · ΔE 10.22 · LRV 6
NAPOLEONIC BLUE · #2E3C5F · ΔE 14.91 · LRV 5
OXFORD NAVY · #011128 · ΔE 14.98 · LRV 1
RODMELL · #655862 · ΔE 17.85 · LRV 11
BURGUNDY · #692830 · ΔE 23.64 · LRV 5

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 5.93
All black at Backdrop →
BD-HP · #1F2025 · ΔE 5.93 · LRV 3
BD-AH · #3D423E · ΔE 6.84 · LRV 6
BD-LC · #3F4458 · ΔE 11.5 · LRV 6
BD-NE · #3D4D3F · ΔE 14.09 · LRV 7
BD-IT · #5C4435 · ΔE 17.12 · LRV 7

Rust-Oleum

16 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.3
All black at Rust-Oleum →
285144 · #363B3E · ΔE 3.3 · LRV 4
391444 · #000000 · ΔE 12.76 · LRV 0
391445 · #41594C · ΔE 17.38 · LRV 9
329207 · #486682 · ΔE 20.83 · LRV 12
329211 · #C0292B · ΔE 34.23 · LRV 13

Kompozit

1,321 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.18
All black at Kompozit →
0515 · #2A2B2C · ΔE 2.18 · LRV 2
0529 · #3A3B3B · ΔE 3.68 · LRV 4
0522 · #38393F · ΔE 4.28 · LRV 4
1229 · #40373E · ΔE 8.95 · LRV 4
0144 · #473933 · ΔE 10.9 · LRV 5

Similar Portola Paints colors

closest in the Portola Paints deck

The nearest shades to Story Teller within Portola Paints's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Newton's Indigo · LRV 4
Ghost Tree · LRV 4
Factory Black · LRV 2
Nomad · LRV 4
Nightlife · LRV 2
Dancing Shoes · LRV 4

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #2E3133 in HSL space. Pair Story Teller with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#2E3133 + #33302E
TRIADIC
#2E3133 · #332E31 · #31332E
ANALOGOUS
#2E3333 · #2E3133 · #2E2E33

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
13.1:1 AAA
Sample text on black
1.6:1 fail

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

Portola Paints Story Teller Equivalents at Other Brands

Matching Story Teller 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 Portola Paints Story Teller directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.

Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Story Teller

At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Story Teller is Caviar (SW 6990) — very close at ΔE 2.51, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Caviar swatch →

Behr Equivalent of Story Teller

At Behr, the closest color to Story Teller is Blackout (N510-7) — very close at ΔE 2.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blackout swatch →

Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Story Teller

Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Black (2132-10), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.84). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Story Teller without repainting risk. See the full Black swatch →

Valspar Equivalent of Story Teller

At Valspar, the closest color to Story Teller is Tomcat (8006-12G) — very close at ΔE 2.07, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Tomcat swatch →

PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Story Teller

PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Story Teller. The nearest is Starless Sky (PPG0995-7) at ΔE 4.28 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Starless Sky swatch →

Glidden Equivalent of Story Teller

Glidden has no exact twin of Story Teller. The nearest is Onyx Black (00NN 05/000) at ΔE 4.27 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Onyx Black swatch →

Dutch Boy Equivalent of Story Teller

Dutch Boy's nearest match is True Black (438-7DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.89). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Story Teller without repainting risk. See the full True Black swatch →

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Story Teller

At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Story Teller is Caviar (HGSW 6990) — very close at ΔE 2.51, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Caviar swatch →

Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Story Teller

Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Story Teller. The nearest is Black (DEA002) at ΔE 4.05 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 3). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Black swatch →

Magnolia Home Equivalent of Story Teller

At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Story Teller is Blackboard (JG-05) — very close at ΔE 2.86, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 3 vs 3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blackboard swatch →

Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Story Teller

Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Story Teller. The nearest is Pitch Black (NO. 256) at ΔE 4.39 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 3). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Pitch Black swatch →

Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Story Teller

At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Story Teller is Grantsburg Gray (H101) — very close at ΔE 3.26, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Grantsburg Gray swatch →

Hirshfield's Equivalent of Story Teller

At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Story Teller is Silent Sea (0515) — very close at ΔE 2.18, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 5 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Silent Sea swatch →

Rodda Equivalent of Story Teller

Rodda doesn't make a true equivalent of Story Teller — the nearest deck color, Midnight (CA210), is clearly different (ΔE 6.22). For an exact match, any Rodda retailer can custom-tint Portola Paints Story Teller instead. See the full Midnight swatch →

C2 Paint Equivalent of Story Teller

C2 Paint doesn't make a true equivalent of Story Teller — the nearest deck color, Angus (BD49), is clearly different (ΔE 8.29). For an exact match, any C2 Paint retailer can custom-tint Portola Paints Story Teller instead. See the full Angus swatch →

Clare Equivalent of Story Teller

Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Story Teller — the nearest deck color, Blackish (PNT100-DP-54), is clearly different (ΔE 8.03). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Portola Paints Story Teller instead. See the full Blackish swatch →

Annie Sloan Equivalent of Story Teller

Annie Sloan doesn't make a true equivalent of Story Teller — the nearest deck color, Napoleonic Blue (NAPOLEONIC BLUE), is clearly different (ΔE 14.91). For an exact match, any Annie Sloan retailer can custom-tint Portola Paints Story Teller instead. See the full Napoleonic Blue swatch →

Backdrop Equivalent of Story Teller

Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Story Teller — the nearest deck color, After Hours (BD-AH), is clearly different (ΔE 6.84). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Portola Paints Story Teller instead. See the full After Hours swatch →

Rust-Oleum Equivalent of Story Teller

At Rust-Oleum, the closest color to Story Teller is Charcoal (285144) — very close at ΔE 3.3, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 3) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Charcoal swatch →

Kompozit Equivalent of Story Teller

At Kompozit, the closest color to Story Teller is Silent Sea (0515) — very close at ΔE 2.18, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 2 vs 3) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Silent Sea swatch →

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