Color guide · Valspar · Red

Cut Ruby

1009-4 · #8A181F · LRV 6.2 · warm red tone

1009-4 · #8A181F · LRV 6.2 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Cut RubyValspar · 1009-4
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Cut Ruby
VALSPAR · 1009-4 · #8A181F
Brand · codeValspar1009-4 · all Valspar reds
LRV6.2Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonewarm red tone
FamilyRed
Hex · RGB · HSL#8A181F · 138, 24, 31 · 356°, 70%, 32%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Redwood0
  2. 2Cut Ruby6.2
  3. 3Million Dollar Red13
  4. 4Cinnamon Slate19
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Cut Ruby, Really?

Cut Ruby reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Valspar 1009-4 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Cut Ruby

Cut Ruby earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Cut Ruby

At LRV 6.2, Cut Ruby 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 red 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Cut Ruby 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.

Upload a photoPainted in about a minuteFree, no account
Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Valspar 1009-4 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Valspar Colors

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

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Cut Ruby · 2.2 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Cut Ruby · 9.4 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #8A181F in HSL space. Pair Cut Ruby with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#8A181F + #188A83
TRIADIC
#8A181F · #1F8A18 · #181F8A
ANALOGOUS
#8A1858 · #8A181F · #8A4A18

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Jessica Williams

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