Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Dante's Cardigan |
| SKU | M251 |
| Hex | #8F3028 |
| RGB | 143, 48, 40 |
| HSL | 5°, 56%, 36% |
| LRV | 8.2 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Brown |
About Valspar Dante's Cardigan
At LRV 8.2, Dante's Cardigan 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.
Dante's Cardigan earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
Closest matches by brand
9 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all brown from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Magnolia Home
Hirshfield's
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Dante's Cardigan 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 #8F3028 in HSL space. Pair Dante's Cardigan 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.
Valspar Dante's Cardigan Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Dante's Cardigan 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 Valspar M251 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Dante's Cardigan
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Dante's Cardigan is Red Prairie (SW 2916) — very close at ΔE 3.1, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8.2) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Red Prairie swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Dante's Cardigan
At Behr, the closest color to Dante's Cardigan is New Brick (S-H-200) — very close at ΔE 2.7, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 8.2) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full New Brick swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Dante's Cardigan
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Dante's Cardigan. The nearest is Raspberry Truffle (2080-10) at ΔE 4.65 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8.2). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Raspberry Truffle swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Dante's Cardigan
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Double Decker (205-7DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.46). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 8.2) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Dante's Cardigan without repainting risk. See the full Double Decker swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Dante's Cardigan
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Dante's Cardigan is Victorious Red (HGSW 1071) — very close at ΔE 2.88, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 8.2) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Victorious Red swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Dante's Cardigan
Backdrop has no exact twin of Dante's Cardigan. The nearest is Stage Beauty (BD-SB) at ΔE 4.35 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 5 vs 8.2). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Stage Beauty swatch →