Reef Coral works as a confident anchor color — best in rooms that can carry visual weight (dining rooms, libraries, accent walls) rather than as a whole-room palette. At LRV 51 it sits in the comfortable mid-light range — bright enough for living areas, soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. Because it's a fully saturated example, it lands strongest as a single accent wall or large architectural feature rather than the dominant whole-room color. Skip it where you want a calm, restful feel — red raises visual energy, so it fights bedrooms and small home offices.
Ref. #EFAEA7 · 204-3DB
Reef Coral
51%LRV Value
Reef Coral Technical Profile
What color is Dutch Boy Reef Coral (204-3DB)? It's a medium warm red — hex #EFAEA7, LRV 51. The closest cross-brand equivalent to Reef Coral is Valspar Mad About Maddie — a near-identical match on the wall, with Sherwin-Williams Youthful Coral and Hirshfield's Lusty Orange also close. At LRV 51, Reef Coral sits in the comfortable mid-light range — bright enough for living areas yet soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. Pair it with creamy off-whites like Alabaster for trim, walnut or cherry hardwoods, and brass hardware — the warmth keeps reds from feeling clinical. Deep forest green or navy work as bold accent walls. As a fully saturated example, it reads as a confident statement color — best deployed as a single accent wall or large architectural feature rather than a whole-room dominant. Reds intensify under 2700K-3000K warm bulbs, deepening into wine territory. Under 4000K+ cool LEDs they can read pinker or slightly washed — sample under your actual room lighting before committing. Saturated colors amplify lighting effects more than muted ones: warm bulbs deepen and enrich, cool daylight sharpens and slightly cools the same hex.
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Colors Similar to Reef Coral
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With Reef Coral
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
Reef Coral
#EFAEA7
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#C3A16F
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for Reef Coral
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
Reef Coral 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 Reef Coral.
More red colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the red family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
Reef Coral — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match Reef Coral from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Reef Coral are Mad About Maddie by Valspar (a near-identical match), Youthful Coral by Sherwin-Williams (a near-identical match), Lusty Orange 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 Reef Coral'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 Reef Coral?
Reef Coral has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 51.4, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white. That makes it a mid-light color — bright enough for living areas yet soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions. 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 Reef Coral
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 Reef Coral depends on the room. Here's how to choose.