Gardeners Soil MQ2-54 is a gray paint color from Behr. It has a hex value of #5E5551, LRV 10 and a warm (golden) undertone. Its closest cross-brand match is Black Russian from Dunn-Edwards (nearly identical), with 49 more equivalents across other brands.
Ref. #5E5551 · MQ2-54
Gardeners Soil
10%LRV Value
Warm (Golden)Undertone
Gardeners Soil Technical Profile
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Gardeners Soil in Every Brand
The closest equivalent to Gardeners Soil in each major paint brand, ranked by how close the match reads. Always verify with a physical sample. How we calculate match accuracy →
BehrGardeners Soil
Nearly identical
Dunn-EdwardsBlack Russian
Black Russian
Dunn-Edwards
Nearly identical
Labrador
Valspar
Nearly identical
Stone Brown
Benjamin Moore
Nearly identical
Bittersweet Brown
Kilz
Nearly identical
Bark
PPG
Nearly identical
Smokescreen
Vista Paint
Nearly identical
Smokescreen
Hirshfield's
Nearly identical
Metropolis
Sherwin-Williams
Very similar
Ashen
Dutch Boy
Very similar
Tanner's Brown
Farrow & Ball
Visible difference
Nourish .05
Colorhouse
Visible difference
Pearl Beige
RAL
Visible difference
Comparing these brands? Order peel-and-stick samples of your top matches — Samplize buy 8 peel-and-stick samples, get 2 free.
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Gardeners Soil
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Gardeners Soil
#5E5551
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#887F5A
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Gardeners Soil
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Gardeners Soil Room Palettes
Color schemes built around this color — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Warm & Inviting
Warm tones with cozy appeal — welcoming and comfortable
Cool & Calm
Cool hues with soft contrast — serene and restful
Bold Contrast
Complementary hues with punch — dynamic and striking
Similar Behr Colors
Other Behr colors close to Gardeners Soil.
More gray colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the gray family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Gardeners Soil — Frequently Asked Questions
What undertone does Gardeners Soil have?
Gardeners Soil by Behr has a warm (golden) undertone and sits in the gray color family. The undertone shifts with light — warmer under 2700K bulbs, cleaner and cooler under 4000K daylight — so sample Gardeners Soil in your own space before committing.
What colors match Gardeners Soil from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Gardeners Soil are Black Russian by Dunn-Edwards (a near-identical match), Labrador by Valspar (a near-identical match), Stone Brown by Benjamin Moore (a near-identical match) — the best options for getting Gardeners Soil's look from a brand your local store carries. Confirm with a physical sample, since sheen and lighting shift the final result.
What is the LRV of Gardeners Soil?
Gardeners Soil has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 9.5, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white — that makes it a deep, dramatic color best saved for accent walls, dining rooms, and cozy spaces where atmosphere matters more than reflected light.
Explore More with Gardeners Soil
Related Reading
How to Match Paint Colors Across Brands
The science behind Delta E and CIEDE2000 — find a Behr equivalent of any Sherwin-Williams shade, or a Benjamin Moore alternative when your store is out of stock.
Understanding Paint Color Undertones
Why Gardeners Soil's warm (golden) undertone matters more than its surface color — and how to read undertones in any paint chip.