Pompeii Red
M242 · #613035 · LRV 4.9 — warm red tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Pompeii Red4.9
- 2Million Dollar Red13
- 3Cinnamon Slate19
What Color Is Pompeii Red, Really?
Pompeii Red reads as a warm red tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Valspar M242 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Pompeii Red
Pompeii Red earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
How Lighting Changes Pompeii Red
At LRV 4.9, Pompeii Red 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 red 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 Pompeii Red 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 M242 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 | Rookwood RedSW 2802 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.4 | 5 | Color page → |
| Behr | Burnished Mahogany160F-7 · Behr | 1.8 | 5 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | BewitchedCSP-450 · Benjamin Moore | 3.0 | 6 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Old Mahogany98RR 06/206 · Glidden | 3.8 | 6 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Saw Mill407-7DB · Dutch Boy | 4.6 | 5 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Rouge RemixHGSW 3021 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 4.6 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Pompeii Red 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 #613035 in HSL space. Pair Pompeii Red with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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