Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Cardinal |
| SKU | SW 2908 |
| Hex | #9D101C |
| RGB | 157, 16, 28 |
| HSL | 355°, 82%, 34% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Red |
About Sherwin-Williams Cardinal
At LRV 8, Cardinal 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.
Cardinal earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
Closest matches by brand
6 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 red from that brand.
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Dutch Boy
Magnolia Home
Backdrop
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Cardinal within Sherwin-Williams'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 #9D101C in HSL space. Pair Cardinal 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.
Sherwin-Williams Cardinal Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Cardinal 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 Sherwin-Williams SW 2908 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Cardinal
Behr has no exact twin of Cardinal. The nearest is California Poppy (S-G-160) at ΔE 4.9 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full California Poppy swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Cardinal
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Heritage Red (HC-181), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.88). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Cardinal without repainting risk. See the full Heritage Red swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Cardinal
At Valspar, the closest color to Cardinal is Quite Red (1011-3) — very close at ΔE 2.18, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6.9 vs 8) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Quite Red swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Cardinal
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Cardinal. The nearest is Double Decker (205-7DB) at ΔE 4.96 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Double Decker swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Cardinal
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Cardinal. The nearest is Brave And Bold (JG-32) at ΔE 4.21 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Brave And Bold swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Cardinal
Backdrop has no exact twin of Cardinal. The nearest is Punk Rock (BD-PR) at ΔE 4.78 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Punk Rock swatch →