Chimney Smoke
4010-1 · #3A4044 · LRV 5 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Cordovan Brown0
- 2Chimney Smoke5
What Color Is Chimney Smoke, Really?
Chimney Smoke reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Valspar 4010-1 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Chimney Smoke
Chimney Smoke earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.
How Lighting Changes Chimney Smoke
At LRV 5, Chimney Smoke 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 blue 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.
Most complaints about Chimney Smoke are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Valspar 4010-1 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Obsidian StoneECC-25-3 · Behr | 2.1 | 5 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Regent Green2136-20 · Benjamin Moore | 2.8 | 6 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Black MagicPPG1001-7 · PPG / Glidden | 3.7 | 5 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Starless SkyPPG0995-7 · Glidden | 3.3 | 5 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Cauldron437-7DB · Dutch Boy | 4.9 | 5 | Color page → |
| Dunn-Edwards | Dark EngineDE6350 · Dunn-Edwards | 2.7 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Chimney Smoke within Valspar's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #3A4044 in HSL space. Pair Chimney Smoke with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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