Hooting Owl works as a warm neutral anchor — pairs cleanly with most existing palettes and reads forgiving across lighting conditions. At LRV 17 it reads as a deep, enveloping shade — best on accent walls, dining rooms, and spaces where atmosphere matters more than reflected light. Skip it if you want a crisp, cool-modern look, or in rooms with heavy north light that can pull its warmth slightly muddy.
Ref. #7D7162 · 420-5DB
Hooting Owl
17%LRV Value
Hooting Owl Technical Profile
What color is Dutch Boy Hooting Owl (420-5DB)? It's a deep warm gray — hex #7D7162, LRV 17. The closest cross-brand equivalent to Hooting Owl is Vista Paint Coastal Fog — a near-identical match on the wall, with Vista Paint Portobello and Hirshfield's Coastal Fog also close. With an LRV of 17, Hooting Owl creates a dramatic, enveloping mood — best on accent walls, dining rooms, and intimate spaces where atmosphere matters more than reflected light. As a warm neutral, Hooting Owl pairs with off-whites for trim, white oak or walnut floors, and brass or warm brushed nickel hardware. Deep green, navy, or terra-cotta all read well as accent colors. As a deeper neutral, Hooting Owl reads as a confident anchor — strongest on accent walls, cabinetry, and moody whole rooms that get enough natural light to keep it from going flat. Warm neutrals come alive under 2700K bulbs, where their underlying yellow or peach undertones add visible warmth. Under 4000K daylight they read cleaner and slightly cooler. Deeper neutrals can read close to black in low light, so preview Hooting Owl in the room's actual evening lighting, not just at midday.
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Colors Similar to Hooting Owl
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Coastal Fog
Vista Paint
Nearly identical
Coastal Fog
Hirshfield's
Nearly identical
Library Pewter
Sherwin-Williams
Nearly identical
Fairview Taupe
Benjamin Moore
Nearly identical
Ash Brown
Behr
Nearly identical
Thunderstruck
PPG
Nearly identical
Smoked Oak Brown
Dunn-Edwards
Nearly identical
Broccoli Brown
Farrow & Ball
Nearly identical
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Hooting Owl
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Hooting Owl
#7D7162
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#9EA171
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Hooting Owl
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Hooting Owl 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 Dutch Boy Colors
Other Dutch Boy colors close to Hooting Owl.
More gray colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the gray family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Hooting Owl — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match Hooting Owl from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Hooting Owl are Coastal Fog by Vista Paint (a near-identical match), Portobello by Vista Paint (a near-identical match), Coastal Fog by Hirshfield's (a near-identical match). These are ranked with the CIEDE2000 color-difference formula, which scores how similar two colors actually look to the eye rather than matching them by name — so they're the best options for getting Hooting Owl's look in a brand your local store carries. Always confirm with a physical sample, since sheen and lighting shift the final result.
What is the LRV of Hooting Owl?
Hooting Owl has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 17.1, 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. LRV is the most reliable guide to how light or dark a paint will read in a real room — more dependable than the swatch on your screen, which varies by monitor.
Explore More with Hooting Owl
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.
Paint Sheen Guide
Flat, eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss — the right finish for Hooting Owl depends on the room. Here's how to choose.