Valspar Desert at Dusk#AE9986 · LRV 33.4
Desert at Dusk reads as a red-orange / warm — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Valspar M105 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Desert at Dusk |
| SKU | M105 |
| Hex | #AE9986 |
| RGB | 174, 153, 134 |
| HSL | 28°, 20%, 60% |
| LRV | 33.4 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral |
About Valspar Desert at Dusk
Desert at Dusk sits in the mid-range at LRV 33.4, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Desert at Dusk is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
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.
Closest matches at every US brand
9 brands · top 5 each5 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 neutral from that brand.
Behr
Sherwin-Williams
PPG / Glidden
Backdrop
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Benjamin Moore
Magnolia Home
Clare
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Desert at Dusk 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 #AE9986 in HSL space. Pair Desert at Dusk 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.