Color guide · Valspar · Black

Tempest's Teapot

M250 · #252D31 · LRV 2.5 · cool blue tone

M250 · #252D31 · LRV 2.5 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Valspar Tempest's Teapot in a dining room
Tempest's TeapotValspar · M250
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Tempest's Teapot
VALSPAR · M250 · #252D31
Brand · codeValsparM250 · all Valspar blacks
LRV2.5Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonecool blue tone
FamilyBlack
Hex · RGB · HSL#252D31 · 37, 45, 49 · 200°, 14%, 17%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. 1Tempest's Teapot2.5
  2. 2Graphite8
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Tempest's Teapot, Really?

Tempest's Teapot reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Valspar M250 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Tempest's Teapot

Tempest's Teapot earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Tempest's Teapot

At LRV 2.5, Tempest's Teapot 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Tempest's Teapot 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.

Upload a photoPainted in about a minuteFree, no account
Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Valspar M250 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 Tempest's Teapot 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 Tempest's Teapot · 1.5 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Tempest's Teapot · 14 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #252D31 in HSL space. Pair Tempest's Teapot with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#252D31 + #312925
TRIADIC
#252D31 · #31252D · #2D3125
ANALOGOUS
#25312F · #252D31 · #252731

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Jessica Williams

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