Valspar Universal Umber#9A7E65 · LRV 22.8
Universal Umber reads as a red-orange / warm — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover the spec, what Valspar 3003-9B actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Universal Umber |
| SKU | 3003-9B |
| Hex | #9A7E65 |
| RGB | 154, 126, 101 |
| HSL | 28°, 21%, 50% |
| LRV | 22.8 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Brown |
About Valspar Universal Umber
With an LRV of 22.8, Universal Umber 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.
Universal Umber 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
PPG / Glidden
Behr
Dunn-Edwards
Benjamin Moore
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Clare
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Universal Umber 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 #9A7E65 in HSL space. Pair Universal Umber 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.