Dark Chocolate
M257 · #493D34 · LRV 5 — warm red-orange tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Mahogany0
- 2Dark Chocolate5
- 3Porpoise13
- 4Cavern Clay20
What Color Is Dark Chocolate, Really?
Dark Chocolate reads as a warm red-orange tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Valspar M257 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Dark Chocolate
Dark Chocolate 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.
How Lighting Changes Dark Chocolate
At LRV 5, Dark Chocolate 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 orange 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 Dark Chocolate 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 M257 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Dark CloveSW 9183 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.9 | 5 | Color page → |
| Behr | Revival Mahogany760B-7 · Behr | 3.1 | 5 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Appalachian Brown2115-10 · Benjamin Moore | 2.5 | 6 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Western Charcoal50YR 06/041 · Glidden | 4.3 | 6 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Parkwood404-7DB · Dutch Boy | 4.3 | 5 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Turkish CoffeeHGSW 2491 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 4.3 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Dark Chocolate 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 #493D34 in HSL space. Pair Dark Chocolate with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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