Muted Ebony
4008-2C · #4E5150 · LRV 8 — neutral with no strong undertone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Muted Ebony8
- 2Kendall Charcoal15
- 3Retreat21
What Color Is Muted Ebony, Really?
Muted Ebony reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Valspar 4008-2C behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Muted Ebony
Muted Ebony earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Muted Ebony
At LRV 8, Muted Ebony 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. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Muted Ebony 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 4008-2C 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 | Urbane BronzeSW 7048 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.5 | 8 | Color page → |
| Behr | Space BlackN460-7 · Behr | 1.2 | 8 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | French Beret1610 · Benjamin Moore | 2.7 | 9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | LicoricePPG1009-7 · PPG / Glidden | 3.6 | 8 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Grey Metal00NN 10/000 · Glidden | 3.0 | 10 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Dark and Stormy436-7DB · Dutch Boy | 2.2 | 9 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Muted Ebony 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 #4E5150 in HSL space. Pair Muted Ebony with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Have you painted with Muted Ebony?
Rate it — one tap helps the next reader decide.
Ask a Question