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CompositePaint
VALSPAR · 8005-12D

Valspar Crystal Noir#A7A0A1 · LRV 36

Crystal Noir reads as a true neutral (no measurable hue) — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Valspar 8005-12D actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

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VALSPAR CRYSTAL NOIR
RGB 167, 160, 161 LRV 36

Color spec

Brand Valspar
Name Crystal Noir
SKU 8005-12D
Hex #A7A0A1
RGB 167, 160, 161
HSL 351°, 4%, 64%
LRV 36
Undertone true neutral (no measurable hue)
Family Gray

About Valspar Crystal Noir

Crystal Noir sits in the mid-range at LRV 36, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.

Crystal Noir is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.

Kompozit alternative

The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.

KOMPOZIT
Techile
SKU 0533 · #9FA1A1 · LRV 35
ΔE 4.95 (noticeable)
SHOP KOMPOZIT ON AMAZON →

Closest matches at every US brand

9 brands · top 5 each

5 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 gray from that brand.

PPG / Glidden

2,088 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.3
All gray at PPG / Glidden →
1003-4
#A49F9F
Equilibrium
ΔE 1.3 · LRV 35
1047-5
#AB9B9C
Coffee Custard
ΔE 4.06 · LRV 35
1018-4
#A99F97
Winter's Nap
ΔE 4.72 · LRV 35
13-23
#A0A0AA
Amethyst Haze
ΔE 5.11 · LRV 36
1019-4
#A99F96
Simmering Smoke
ΔE 5.22 · LRV 35

Behr

4,699 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.9
All gray at Behr →
N170-4
#AA9F9B
Coffee With Cream
ΔE 2.9 · LRV 36
PPU17-12
#A89C98
Smoked Mauve
ΔE 3.27 · LRV 34
MQ6-22
#9E9E9D
Gateway Gray
ΔE 4.22 · LRV 34
HDC-CT-18
#B19FA1
Violet Vista
ΔE 4.83 · LRV 37
MQ2-56
#ABA096
Abbey Stone
ΔE 5.67 · LRV 36

Benjamin Moore

3,934 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.95
All gray at Benjamin Moore →
AF-675
#A5A2A0
Fusion
ΔE 2.95 · LRV 37
1461
#A09E9D
Sterling Silver
ΔE 3.16 · LRV 35
2113-50
#B1A2A4
Mauve Desert
ΔE 3.8 · LRV
AF-700
#9FA09E
Storm
ΔE 5.01 · LRV 36
1606
#9EA5A5
Cobblestone Path
ΔE 7.69 · LRV 37

Sherwin-Williams

1,526 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.02
All gray at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 6262
#A6A3A9
Mysterious Mauve
ΔE 3.02 · LRV 37
SW 6038
#AC9E97
Truly Taupe
ΔE 4.63 · LRV 35
SW 7024
#ABA39A
Functional Gray
ΔE 5.41 · LRV 37
SW 7655
#A0A09A
Stamped Concrete
ΔE 6.19 · LRV 35
SW 7073
#A0A5A7
Network Gray
ΔE 6.37 · LRV 37

Dunn-Edwards

1,696 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.35
All gray at Dunn-Edwards →
DE6060
#A79994
Twilight Taupe
ΔE 4.35 · LRV 33
DE6032
#B29E9D
Hazelnut
ΔE 5.42 · LRV 36
DE6354
#9CA0A6
Gray Wolf
ΔE 5.72 · LRV 35
DE6361
#A1A5A8
Baby Seal
ΔE 5.73 · LRV 37
DE6312
#97A2A0
Dusty Dream
ΔE 9.96 · LRV 35

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.61
All gray at Magnolia Home →
JG-135
#A19C96
Watering Can
ΔE 4.61 · LRV 34
JG-118
#ACA9A3
Refinished
ΔE 5.44 · LRV 40
JG-15
#A7A9A3
Weathered Windmill
ΔE 7.27 · LRV 39
JG-114
#AAA497
Quaint Cottage
ΔE 7.72 · LRV 37
JG-137
#A3A7A1
Vintage Weathervane
ΔE 8.01 · LRV 38

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 5.67
All gray at Clare →
PNT100-LT-32
#9C9CA7
Cosmic Vibes
ΔE 5.67 · LRV 34
PNT100-LT-15
#9CA2A7
Set In Stone
ΔE 6.66 · LRV 36
PNT100-DP-78
#99AAA4
Mellow Mood
ΔE 13.37 · LRV 38
PNT100-LT-38
#90A6AE
Good Jeans
ΔE 13.54 · LRV 36
PNT100-MD-43
#9AB0AB
Make Waves
ΔE 15.09 · LRV 41

Farrow & Ball

132 colors in deck · best ΔE 5.7
All gray at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 265
#A2A29D
Manor House Gray
ΔE 5.7 · LRV 36
NO. 25
#A1A093
Pigeon
ΔE 8.99 · LRV 35
NO. 28
#B49D8D
Dead Salmon
ΔE 9.17 · LRV 36
NO. 17
#B4A693
Light Gray
ΔE 9.67 · LRV 39
NO. 6
#B6A38F
London Stone
ΔE 10.07 · LRV 38

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 9.15
All gray at Backdrop →
BD-NU
#A4A89F
Nuevo
ΔE 9.15 · LRV 38
BD-AN
#A89886
Anita
ΔE 9.48 · LRV 33
BD-CT
#A89E8A
Carry the Two
ΔE 10.25 · LRV 33
BD-UD
#A4B5BB
Underdog
ΔE 12.53 · LRV 41
BD-LF
#A4AB95
Le Freak
ΔE 14.7 · LRV 35

Similar Valspar colors

closest in the Valspar deck

The nearest shades to Crystal Noir within Valspar's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

4003-1C
Rocky Bluffs
LRV 37.2
4004-1C
Hazy Stratus
LRV 35.2
5006-2A
Wet Pavement
LRV 35.3
8006-2E
Graceful Gray
LRV 37
M219
Warm Shale
LRV 38.5
V121-2
Classic Grayscale
LRV 38.4

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #A7A0A1 in HSL space. Pair Crystal Noir with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#A7A0A1 + #A0A7A6
TRIADIC
#A7A0A1 · #A1A7A0 · #A0A1A7
ANALOGOUS
#A7A0A5 · #A7A0A1 · #A7A3A0

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
2.57:1 fail
Sample text on black
8.19:1 AAA

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

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