Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Cracked Pepper |
| SKU | 4011-1 |
| Hex | #3D3B36 |
| RGB | 61, 59, 54 |
| HSL | 43°, 6%, 23% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Black |
What Color Is Cracked Pepper, Really?
Valspar Cracked Pepper (4011-1) is a soft, near-black with a quiet warm lean. Its measured color sits at a very low LRV of 5, so in almost any room it reads as black. But look closely and it is not a cold, blue-black: the hue leans slightly toward warm brown-yellow, and the saturation is only about 6 percent, which means the color is essentially a deep charcoal-black with a faint earthy warmth rather than a bright or inky one.
People reach for it because it is Valspar's name-shared dark neutral, searched right alongside Behr's Cracked Pepper, and it gives a rich black look without going stark or clinical.
It suits homes that want drama with a little softness: modern farmhouse exteriors, moody accent walls, black cabinets, and front doors. If you like black but find true blacks harsh, this warmer version is an easier place to land.
With a saturation near 6 percent, Cracked Pepper is close to a true neutral. It has just a slight lean, and that lean is warm: a soft brown-yellow cast rather than the blue or green you find in cooler blacks. In most light it simply reads as a deep, soft black, and the warmth only shows up in direct sun or next to a genuinely cool color.
The honest way to test it is by contrast. Put a sample next to a cool blue-black and Cracked Pepper looks warmer and a touch browner. Put it next to a warm brown and it looks blacker and more neutral. Tape a large sample beside your trim white and your flooring, because the surrounding colors decide whether the warmth reads at all. In shade or overcast light, expect it to flatten toward a straight charcoal-black.
Best Rooms and Uses for Cracked Pepper
This is a statement and contrast color, not a whole-room light color. At LRV 5 it will absorb light and make a space feel smaller and cozier, so use it where that is the goal.
It is excellent on accent walls, fireplace surrounds, and the back of built-in shelving, where it frames lighter objects. On cabinets it gives a deep, grounded look, especially for a kitchen island or a bathroom vanity, and its slight warmth keeps it from feeling cold next to wood counters. As a full-room wall color it works in a moody study, a media room, or a powder room where drama is welcome.
Outside it earns its keep. Cracked Pepper is a strong exterior body color for a modern farmhouse or a black-and-white scheme, a confident front door color, and a clean choice for window trim and shutters. Pair it with crisp white and the contrast does the work.
How Lighting Changes Cracked Pepper
At an LRV of 5, this color reflects very little light, so lighting mostly changes how black or how soft it looks, not its hue. In a bright south-facing room with strong sun, the surface picks up sheen and you may catch the faint warm brown lean on the sunlit side, while shadowed corners go nearly pure black.
North-facing rooms get cool, even light, which pushes Cracked Pepper toward a flat, slightly cooler charcoal and can make it feel heavier. East light in the morning and west light in the evening both warm it briefly, waking up that earthy note before it settles back to black.
Bulb choice matters. Warm white bulbs around 2700K support its natural warmth and keep it looking soft. Cool daylight bulbs strip the warmth and make it read as a plainer, harder black. Always judge it in the actual room across a full day.
Most complaints about Cracked Pepper 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Cracked Pepper vs Similar Colors
Valspar has several near-blacks in the same LRV band, and the differences are subtle but visible on a wall. Magpie (8005-1G) at LRV 5 is essentially as dark but sits more neutral, without Cracked Pepper's faint warm brown lean, so it reads as a straighter charcoal-black. If you want black with no earthiness, Magpie is the safer neutral.
Caviar (8006-4G), also LRV 5, carries a slightly cooler, greener cast. Side by side, Cracked Pepper looks warmer and Caviar looks a touch more slate. Black Heron (V120-3) is marginally darker at LRV 4.5 and leans cool as well, making it a good pick when you want a blacker, more modern feel.
In short, choose Cracked Pepper when you want soft warmth in your black, Magpie for a clean neutral black, and Caviar or Black Heron when you want a cooler edge.
Colors That Go With Cracked Pepper
For trim and a bright contrast, Ultra White (7006-24) at LRV 92 gives the crispest black-and-white edge and is the safe pick for a modern farmhouse exterior. If you want the contrast softer and warmer, Swiss Coffee (7002-9) at LRV 84 is a creamy off-white that reads gentler against the black.
For a second wall color or a paneled lower half, Mocha Latte (3002-10C) at LRV 31 is a warm mid neutral that echoes Cracked Pepper's earthy lean. Reflecting Pool (5005-9A) at LRV 41 adds a calm, dusty blue if you want a cooler accent for a bath or bedroom.
For a front door or an outdoor accent with more color, Polished Pine (5006-2B) at LRV 11 is a deep green that sits comfortably beside the black. Natural oak or walnut wood tones and brushed brass or matte black hardware all finish the look well.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Valspar 4011-1 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Cracked Pepper within Valspar'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 #3D3B36 in HSL space. Pair Cracked Pepper 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Cracked Pepper warm or cool?
Cracked Pepper is a warm-leaning near-black. Its saturation is only about 6 percent, so it is close to a true neutral, but the small amount of hue it has leans toward warm brown-yellow rather than blue. In everyday light it simply reads as a soft black, with the warmth showing mainly in direct sun or beside a cool color.
Is Cracked Pepper more black or more gray?
It reads as black. At an LRV of 5 it reflects very little light, so in most rooms it looks like a soft, deep black rather than a gray. You will only notice its slight charcoal-warm character up close, in strong light, or when it sits next to a lighter neutral for comparison.
What trim white goes with Cracked Pepper?
For the crispest contrast, use Ultra White (7006-24) at LRV 92, which gives a clean black-and-white edge ideal for exteriors and modern trim. If you prefer a softer, warmer pairing, Swiss Coffee (7002-9) at LRV 84 is a creamy off-white that feels gentler against the black while still reading clearly as trim.
Does Cracked Pepper work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes. On cabinets it gives a deep, grounded look, and its faint warmth keeps it from feeling cold next to wood counters, making it a strong choice for an island or vanity. Outside it works as a modern farmhouse body color, a front door, and window trim or shutters, especially paired with a bright white.
What does an LRV of 5 mean for Cracked Pepper?
LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for white. At 5, Cracked Pepper reflects almost no light, so it absorbs light in a room and makes a space feel cozier and smaller. That is why it works best as a statement or contrast color rather than a whole-room light color.
How is Cracked Pepper different from Valspar Caviar?
Both are near-blacks at about LRV 5, so they are nearly the same depth. The difference is temperature. Cracked Pepper (4011-1) leans slightly warm and brown, while Caviar (8006-4G) leans a touch cooler and greener. Side by side, Cracked Pepper looks softer and warmer; choose Caviar when you want a cooler, more slate-like black.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Cracked Pepper behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY CRACKED PEPPER ON YOUR ROOM →
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