Valspar Release the Hounds#9C6D2A · LRV 18.2
Release the Hounds reads as a red-orange / warm — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover the spec, what Valspar M157 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Release the Hounds |
| SKU | M157 |
| Hex | #9C6D2A |
| RGB | 156, 109, 42 |
| HSL | 35°, 58%, 39% |
| LRV | 18.2 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Brown |
About Valspar Release the Hounds
With an LRV of 18.2, Release the Hounds is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Release the Hounds works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
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 brown from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Dunn-Edwards
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Magnolia Home
Backdrop
Farrow & Ball
Clare
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Release the Hounds 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 #9C6D2A in HSL space. Pair Release the Hounds 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.