Black Walnut
PPG1014-7 · #554848 · LRV 7 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Black Walnut7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Retreat21
What Color Is Black Walnut, Really?
Black Walnut reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG1014-7 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Black Walnut
Black Walnut earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Black Walnut
At LRV 7, Black Walnut 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 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Black Walnut 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 PPG / Glidden PPG1014-7 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Pinecone PathHDC-CL-14 · Behr | 1.5 | 7 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Vintage Wine2116-20 · Benjamin Moore | 1.9 | 8 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Soul Searching8004-4G · Valspar | 2.8 | 7 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Black WalnutPPG1014-7 · Glidden | 0.6 | 7 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Orchid Black443-7DB · Dutch Boy | 4.0 | 7 | Color page → |
| Dunn-Edwards | MolassesDE6399 · Dunn-Edwards | 1.9 | 7 | Color page → |
Similar PPG / Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Black Walnut within PPG / Glidden'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 #554848 in HSL space. Pair Black Walnut with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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