Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Carmine |
| SKU | SW 2905 |
| Hex | #801522 |
| RGB | 128, 21, 34 |
| HSL | 353°, 72%, 29% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Red |
About Sherwin-Williams Carmine
At LRV 5, Carmine 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.
Carmine 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
3 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
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Carmine 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 #801522 in HSL space. Pair Carmine 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 Carmine Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Carmine 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 2905 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Carmine
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Carmine. The nearest is Caliente (AF-290) at ΔE 3.91 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Caliente swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Carmine
At Valspar, the closest color to Carmine is Heirloom Red (1010-3) — very close at ΔE 2.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5.3 vs 5) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Heirloom Red swatch →