Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Dutch Licorice |
| SKU | 4008-4C |
| Hex | #39444D |
| RGB | 57, 68, 77 |
| HSL | 207°, 15%, 26% |
| LRV | 5.5 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Teal |
About Valspar Dutch Licorice
At LRV 5.5, Dutch Licorice 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 blue 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.
Dutch Licorice earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Teals add character without shouting — good for a vanity, an island or a feature wall.
Closest matches by brand
16 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 teal from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Portola Paints
Rust-Oleum
Kompozit
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Dutch Licorice 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 #39444D in HSL space. Pair Dutch Licorice 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 Dutch Licorice Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Dutch Licorice 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 4008-4C directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Dutch Licorice is Gale Force (SW 7605) — very close at ΔE 2.14, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gale Force swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
At Behr, the closest color to Dutch Licorice is Blackbird (ECC-23-3) — very close at ΔE 2.83, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Blackbird swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Dutch Licorice. The nearest is Abyss (2128-20) at ΔE 4.43 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Abyss swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Dutch Licorice is Midnight Hour (PPG1038-7) — very close at ΔE 2.43, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Midnight Hour swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
At Glidden, the closest color to Dutch Licorice is Midnight Hour (PPG1038-7) — very close at ΔE 2.15, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Midnight Hour swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Dutch Licorice. The nearest is No Limits (HGSW 1461) at ΔE 3.75 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full No Limits swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Dutch Licorice is Arches (JG-97) — very close at ΔE 2.75, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Arches swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Dutch Licorice. The nearest is Black Blue (NO. 95) at ΔE 3.93 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5.5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Black Blue swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Dutch Licorice. The nearest is Dark River (0494) at ΔE 4.59 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 7 vs 5.5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Dark River swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
At Rodda, the closest color to Dutch Licorice is Obsidian (CA204) — very close at ΔE 3.4, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Obsidian swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
C2 Paint's nearest match is Espionage (C2-742), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.9). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Dutch Licorice without repainting risk. See the full Espionage swatch →
Rust-Oleum Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
Rust-Oleum has no exact twin of Dutch Licorice. The nearest is Charcoal (285144) at ΔE 4.54 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 4 vs 5.5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Charcoal swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Dutch Licorice
Kompozit has no exact twin of Dutch Licorice. The nearest is Dark River (0494) at ΔE 4.59 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5.5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Dark River swatch →