Color spec
| Brand | Rodda |
| Name | Ambiguous Black |
| SKU | R024 |
| Hex | #50504F |
| RGB | 80, 80, 79 |
| HSL | 60°, 1%, 31% |
| LRV | 9 |
| Undertone | neutral with no strong undertone |
| Family | Gray |
About Rodda Ambiguous Black
At LRV 9, Ambiguous Black 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.
Ambiguous Black 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.
Closest matches by brand
16 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray 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
Hirshfield's
C2 Paint
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Rodda colors
closest in the Rodda deckThe nearest shades to Ambiguous Black within Rodda'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 #50504F in HSL space. Pair Ambiguous Black 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.
Rodda Ambiguous Black Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Ambiguous Black 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 Rodda R024 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Ambiguous Black is Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) — very close at ΔE 3.33, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Urbane Bronze swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Behr's nearest match is Wood Acres (BXC-71), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.3). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Wood Acres swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Ambiguous Black is French Beret (1610) — very close at ΔE 2.75, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full French Beret swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Valspar's nearest match is Muted Ebony (4008-2C), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.78). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Muted Ebony swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Ambiguous Black. The nearest is Licorice (PPG1009-7) at ΔE 3.8 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Licorice swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Glidden's nearest match is Grey Metal (00NN 10/000), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.61). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Grey Metal swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Ambiguous Black is Dark and Stormy (436-7DB) — very close at ΔE 2.24, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dark and Stormy swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Ambiguous Black is Urbane Bronze (HGSW 3481) — very close at ΔE 3.33, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Urbane Bronze swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Blackjack (DE6371), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.25). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Blackjack swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Magnolia Home's nearest match is Prairie Smoke (JG-141), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.92). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Prairie Smoke swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Tar (NO. CC1), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.26). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Tar swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Subway (0536), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Ambiguous Black without repainting risk. See the full Subway swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Ambiguous Black. The nearest is Sturgis Gray (H0119) at ΔE 3.83 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Sturgis Gray swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
C2 Paint has no exact twin of Ambiguous Black. The nearest is Enamored (C2-853) at ΔE 4.04 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Enamored swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Ambiguous Black
At Clare, the closest color to Ambiguous Black is Blackest (PNT100-DP-55) — very close at ΔE 2.22, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blackest swatch →