Color guide · Valspar · Neutral

Ode to Joy

8004-20D · #AC9C82 · LRV 34 · warm red-orange tone

8004-20D · #AC9C82 · LRV 34 — warm red-orange tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.

Ode to JoyValspar · 8004-20D
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Ode to Joy
VALSPAR · 8004-20D · #AC9C82
Brand · codeValspar8004-20D · all Valspar neutrals
LRV34Mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
Undertonewarm red-orange tone
FamilyNeutral
Hex · RGB · HSL#AC9C82 · 172, 156, 130 · 37°, 20%, 59%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Anonymous20
  2. 2Felted Wool28
  3. 3Ode to Joy34
  4. 4Revere Pewter55
  5. 5Agreeable Gray60
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Ode to Joy, Really?

Ode to Joy reads as a warm red-orange tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Valspar 8004-20D behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy sits in the mid-range at LRV 34, 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Ode to Joy 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Valspar 8004-20D 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Valspar Colors

The nearest shades to Ode to Joy within Valspar's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Ode to Joy · 7.8 : 1 · passes AA and AAAWhite text on Ode to Joy · 2.7 : 1 · fails for text

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 #AC9C82 in HSL space. Pair Ode to Joy with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#AC9C82 + #8292AC
TRIADIC
#AC9C82 · #82AC9C · #9C82AC
ANALOGOUS
#AC8782 · #AC9C82 · #A7AC82

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Jessica Williams

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