Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Hardware |
| SKU | SW 6172 |
| Hex | #8B8372 |
| RGB | 139, 131, 114 |
| HSL | 41°, 10%, 50% |
| LRV | 23 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Neutral |
About Sherwin-Williams Hardware
With an LRV of 23, Hardware is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its orange 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Hardware works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
Closest matches by brand
18 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 neutral from that brand.
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Kompozit
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Hardware 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 #8B8372 in HSL space. Pair Hardware 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 Hardware Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Hardware 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 6172 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Hardware
The closest Behr equivalent of Hardware is Dry Brown (N230-5). At ΔE 0.7 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). If Behr is your counter, order Dry Brown and you'll get the same color. See the full Dry Brown swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Hardware
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Iron Gate (1545), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.65). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Hardware without repainting risk. See the full Iron Gate swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Hardware
At Valspar, the closest color to Hardware is Artichoke (6003-2A) — very close at ΔE 2.03, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24.1 vs 23) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Artichoke swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Hardware
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Dark Ash (PPG1025-5), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.31). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Hardware without repainting risk. See the full Dark Ash swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Hardware
The closest Glidden equivalent of Hardware is Dark Ash (PPG1025-5). At ΔE 0.98 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). If Glidden is your counter, order Dark Ash and you'll get the same color. See the full Dark Ash swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Hardware
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Hardware is Niagara Valley (422-5DB) — very close at ΔE 2.38, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 23) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Niagara Valley swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Hardware
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Conduit Grey (HGSW 3233), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.65). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Hardware without repainting risk. See the full Conduit Grey swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Hardware
The closest Dunn-Edwards equivalent of Hardware is Timber Wolf (DEBN69). At ΔE 0.59 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). If Dunn-Edwards is your counter, order Timber Wolf and you'll get the same color. See the full Timber Wolf swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Hardware
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Hardware. The nearest is Boutique Gray (JG-125) at ΔE 4.65 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Boutique Gray swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Hardware
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Hardware. The nearest is Dauphin (NO. 54) at ΔE 4.4 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Dauphin swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Hardware
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Hardware is Moonscape (0227) — very close at ΔE 2.5, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Moonscape swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Hardware
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Hardware is Pettingill Sage (H0114) — very close at ΔE 2.41, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 23) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pettingill Sage swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Hardware
Rodda has no exact twin of Hardware. The nearest is Slate (CA090) at ΔE 3.55 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Slate swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Hardware
The closest C2 Paint equivalent of Hardware is Charlie Horse (C2-906). At ΔE 0.95 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). If C2 Paint is your counter, order Charlie Horse and you'll get the same color. See the full Charlie Horse swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Hardware
At Clare, the closest color to Hardware is Dirty Chai (PNT100-DP-52) — very close at ΔE 2.84, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dirty Chai swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Hardware
Annie Sloan has no exact twin of Hardware. The nearest is Coco (COCO) at ΔE 4.04 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 21 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Coco swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Hardware
Kompozit has no exact twin of Hardware. The nearest is Ceramic Pot (0339) at ΔE 3.81 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ceramic Pot swatch →