Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Nocturne |
| SKU | SW 9520 |
| Hex | #544E42 |
| RGB | 84, 78, 66 |
| HSL | 40°, 12%, 29% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral |
About Sherwin-Williams Nocturne
At LRV 8, Nocturne 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 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Nocturne earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
Closest matches at every US brand
13 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all neutral from that brand.
Kompozit
Diamond Vogel
Valspar
Benjamin Moore
Behr
Dutch Boy
C2 Paint
PPG / Glidden
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Clare
Farrow & Ball
Backdrop
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Nocturne 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 #544E42 in HSL space. Pair Nocturne 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 Nocturne Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Nocturne 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 9520 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Kompozit Equivalent of Nocturne
The closest Kompozit equivalent of Nocturne is Terra Pin (0571). At ΔE 0.6 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8). If Kompozit is your counter, order Terra Pin and you'll get the same color. See the full Terra Pin swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Nocturne
Valspar's nearest match is Turkish Coffee (6003-2C), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.1). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7.4 vs 8) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Nocturne without repainting risk. See the full Turkish Coffee swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Nocturne
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Tavern Charcoal (CW-90), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.79). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 8) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Nocturne without repainting risk. See the full Tavern Charcoal swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Nocturne
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Deeply Rooted (421-7DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.85). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Nocturne without repainting risk. See the full Deeply Rooted swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Nocturne
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Ruggero Grey (0452), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.94). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Nocturne without repainting risk. See the full Ruggero Grey swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Nocturne
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Nocturne is Amazon (C2-917) — very close at ΔE 2.37, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Amazon swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Nocturne
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Nocturne is Afternoon Tea (PPG1023-7) — very close at ΔE 2.83, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Afternoon Tea swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Nocturne
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Nocturne is Renwick Brown (DET630) — very close at ΔE 3.04, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Renwick Brown swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Nocturne
Behr has no exact twin of Nocturne. The nearest is Rare Wood (MQ2-39) at ΔE 4.84 — 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 Rare Wood swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Nocturne
Magnolia Home doesn't make a true equivalent of Nocturne — the nearest deck color, Step Stool Green (JG-160), is clearly different (ΔE 5.3). For an exact match, any Magnolia Home retailer can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 9520 instead. See the full Step Stool Green swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Nocturne
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Nocturne — the nearest deck color, Tanner's Brown (NO. 255), is clearly different (ΔE 7.07). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 9520 instead. See the full Tanner's Brown swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Nocturne
Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Nocturne — the nearest deck color, Blackest (PNT100-DP-55), is clearly different (ΔE 8.06). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 9520 instead. See the full Blackest swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Nocturne
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Nocturne — the nearest deck color, It's a Date (BD-IT), is clearly different (ΔE 9.71). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 9520 instead. See the full It's a Date swatch →