Color spec
| Brand | Pratt & Lambert |
| Name | Mahogany |
| SKU | 21-10 |
| Hex | #5C2F2A |
| RGB | 92, 47, 42 |
| HSL | 6°, 37%, 26% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Brown |
What Color Is Mahogany, Really?
Pratt & Lambert Mahogany (21-10) is a deep red-brown that sits at the darkest end of the scale. Its hex value #5C2F2A and mid-level saturation give it a clear warm red pull inside a brown base, so it reads like polished dark wood or old leather rather than a flat neutral. With an LRV of 5, it soaks up nearly all the light that hits it and looks close to black in most rooms until light lands on it directly.
It is popular as Pratt & Lambert's signature accent for wood-tone interiors, where its saturated red-brown character echoes mahogany furniture, wainscot, and cabinetry. Painters reach for it when they want warmth and weight in one color.
Mahogany suits traditional and transitional homes, studies, dining rooms, and anyone who wants a rich anchor rather than a light, airy backdrop.
Mahogany leans warm and red. Its hue sits at 6 degrees, right at the red end of the wheel, and its saturation of about 37 percent is high enough that the red is a real, visible characteristic, not a faint lean. This is not a near-neutral brown that could pass for taupe. In good light you will read the wine-red warmth clearly.
Because the color is so dark, the undertone mostly hides in shadow and then flashes when direct light hits the wall. On a shaded wall it looks like deep espresso; catch it in sun or under a lamp and the red-brown wakes up.
Test it against a true brown and a true red on the same wall. Next to a cooler brown, Mahogany looks redder; next to a bright red, it looks browner and more grounded. Look at large samples at different times of day before you commit.
Best Rooms and Uses for Mahogany
At an LRV of 5, Mahogany is a statement and contrast color, not a whole-home light. Painting every wall of a small or dim room in it will make the space feel enclosed, so use that effect on purpose. It shines in dining rooms, studies, libraries, and powder rooms where you want drama and coziness.
It is a strong accent-wall color behind a bed or fireplace, and it excels on cabinetry, built-ins, and wainscot, where the red-brown depth reads like fine wood. On a front door it gives a rich, welcoming look with high curb appeal, and it works on exterior shutters and trim as a near-black alternative with warmth.
Avoid it as broad interior trim, since very dark trim can look heavy against light walls. Reserve it for the pieces you want to stand forward: doors, islands, and feature walls.
How Lighting Changes Mahogany
With an LRV of 5, Mahogany reflects almost no light, so the room's light source does more to change it than the paint itself ever will. In a bright, sun-filled space it holds its red-brown depth and stays legible as a color. In a dim room it collapses toward near-black.
North-facing rooms get cool, even light, which mutes the red and pushes Mahogany toward a shadowy brown. South-facing rooms get the most warm sun and show the red character best. East light gives a warm morning read that cools by afternoon, while west rooms stay flat until strong evening sun brings the warmth back.
Bulb choice matters. Warm white bulbs, around 2700K, deepen the red and make the color glow. Cooler daylight bulbs flatten it and can make it look almost brown-black. Because it is so dark, add layered lamp and sconce light so the wall does not read as a black void at night.
Most complaints about Mahogany 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Mahogany vs Similar Colors
Pratt & Lambert offers a couple of dark warm colors close enough to Mahogany that they are worth comparing directly. Brick Red (20-9) shares the same LRV of 5 but its hex #7C2F2A is noticeably brighter and truer red. Brick Red reads as a bold red brick, while Mahogany reads as dark wood; choose Brick Red when you want obvious color energy and Mahogany when you want a color that behaves almost like a warm near-black.
Cocoa (23-11) at an LRV of 7 with hex #5C4435 goes the other direction. It is a genuine milk-chocolate brown with far less red, so it looks softer and more neutral on a wall. Pick Cocoa for a cozy, understated brown room, and pick Mahogany when you want that wine-red depth to show. Between the three, Mahogany is the balance point: darker and richer than Brick Red's brightness, warmer and redder than Cocoa's plain brown.
Colors That Go With Mahogany
Because Mahogany is so dark and warm, it pairs best with lighter neutrals that give the eye a place to rest. For trim and ceilings, Designer White (33-1) at an LRV of 89 is a clean, bright white that crisps up the deep walls without going stark. For a softer, warmer envelope, Antique White (1-1) at an LRV of 78 makes a creamy wall color that lets Mahogany work as woodwork or a door.
For a second wall color or a cabinet-versus-wall contrast, Silver Lining (32-1) at an LRV of 80 keeps things light and calm. When you want a real accent with some color, Williamsburg Wedgwood Blue (CW-30) at an LRV of 28 gives a muted blue that plays off the red beautifully, and Sage (26-5) at an LRV of 35 adds a quiet green that flatters the warmth.
Wood tones and aged brass or bronze metals also sit naturally alongside Mahogany.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Pratt & Lambert 21-10 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #5C2F2A in HSL space. Pair Mahogany 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Mahogany warm or cool?
Mahogany is firmly warm. Its hue sits at 6 degrees on the red end of the wheel with about 37 percent saturation, so it carries a clear red-brown warmth rather than any cool gray or blue. In sunlight and under warm bulbs the red character shows most; in dim or north light it reads as a shadowy warm near-black.
What trim white goes with Mahogany?
Designer White (33-1), with a high LRV of 89, is a strong trim and ceiling choice. It is bright and clean enough to crisp up Mahogany's dark walls without looking cold against the warmth. If you want a softer contrast, Antique White (1-1) at an LRV of 78 gives a warmer, creamier frame that still reads clearly against the deep color.
Does Mahogany work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes on both. Its red-brown depth makes cabinetry, islands, and built-ins look like fine wood, which is exactly what Pratt & Lambert designed this accent for. Outside it works well on a front door for warm curb appeal and on shutters or accent trim as a near-black alternative with warmth. Just give interior installs good layered lighting.
What does an LRV of 5 mean for Mahogany in practice?
LRV, or light reflectance value, runs from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 5, Mahogany reflects almost no light and reads close to black in most rooms until direct light hits it. In practice that means it makes spaces feel deep and enclosed, so use it for drama and add lamp and sconce light at night.
How is Mahogany different from Sherwin-Williams Rookwood Red?
They are very close. Sherwin-Williams Rookwood Red (SW 2802) shares the same LRV of 5 and a similar deep red-brown character, with only a small measured color difference between them. If you already like Rookwood Red, Mahogany reads as the same family of saturated dark red-brown from Pratt & Lambert.
Should I sample Mahogany before painting?
Definitely. Very dark colors like Mahogany change more with light than lighter shades, so paint a large sample on more than one wall and check it in morning, afternoon, and lamp light. The red can look vivid in sun and near-black in shade, and seeing that swing at full size prevents surprises before you commit the whole room.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Mahogany behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY MAHOGANY ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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