Behr So Merlot PPU1-15
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| Code: | PPU1-15 |
| Name: | So Merlot |
| Brand: | Behr |
What color is Behr So Merlot?
Behr So Merlot PPU1-15 is a medium-dark muted red with brown and soft plum undertones. Its restrained saturation keeps it from reading like a bright wine red; instead, it has a dusty, grounded appearance that can feel warmer in afternoon light and slightly more violet in cooler daylight. Use it for a dining room, powder room, or a single bedroom wall when the space needs noticeable color without an overly dramatic finish. Creamy off-whites, warm taupe, charcoal, and natural walnut give this shade a balanced setting, while aged brass adds a useful hint of contrast. So Merlot also has enough depth for painted cabinetry or an exterior front door paired with pale trim.
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What are Behr So Merlot undertones?
So Merlot is a midtone, soft berry red. The HEX sample leans pink-red; this describes its measurable digital hue direction, not a hidden paint pigment. Warm bulbs can make it look creamier or more golden, while cool daylight may mute that warmth and pull it closer to beige or greige.
HEX value:
RGB code:
132, 82, 90
Is Behr So Merlot cool or warm?
warm
cool
With a hue of 350°, this dark red reads warm on the HSL color wheel.
PPU1-15 So Merlot HSL code: 350, 23%, 42%
Hue - degree on a color wheel from 0 to 360. 0 is red, 120 is green, and 240 is blue.
Saturation is expressed as a percentage. At 0%, it appears as a shade of grey, and at 100%, it is in full color.
Lightness is also a percentage value. 0% is black, and 100% is white.
How light temperature affects So Merlot
Natural Lighting. During the day, natural light shifts from about 2000 K at sunrise/sunset to 5500–6500 K at noon.
In addition, natural-light temperature depends on its direction:
| Direction of sunlight | Visible temp. | Hue | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Cool | Bluish | All day |
| East | Warm | Yellow | Before noon |
| West | Warm | Orange-red | After noon |
| South | Warm | Orange-yellow | All day |
Artificial Lighting. When choosing bulbs, pay attention to their color temperature in Kelvins.
Use the slider to see how this dark red shade looks under different lighting:
4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Behr So Merlot:
Monochromatic color scheme
This scheme consists of various shades, tints, and tones of a single color. While it offers a perfect combination of hues, without accent décor it may become monotonous.
Lighter shades
PPU1-15
So Merlot
Darker shades
Complementary color scheme
This color scheme is a combination of two shades that are opposite each other on the color wheel. The high contrast between these colors creates a vibrant and dynamic visual effect. For the color So Merlot with a red hue, complementary colors are those with a green hue close to 170, such as Behr Forest Edge and Longmeadow.
LRV of So Merlot
So Merlot has an LRV of 12.34% and refers to Medium Dark which means that this color reflects very little light. Why LRV is important?
Light Reflectance Value measures the amount of visible and usable light that reflects from a painted surface.
Simply put, the higher the LRV of a paint color, the brighter the room you will get.
The scale goes from 0% (absolute black, absorbing all light) to 100% (pure white, reflecting all light).
Act like a pro: When choosing paint with an LRV of 12.34%, pay attention to your bulbs' brightness. Light brightness is measured in lumens. The lower the paint's LRV, the higher lumen level you need. Every square foot of room needs at least 40 lumens. That means for a 200 ft2 living room you'll need about 8000 lumens of light – e.g., eight 1000 lm bulbs.
Color codes
We have collected almost every possible color code you could ever need.
Not sure what the difference between HEX and RGB is? We break down color models in plain language. Understanding color models
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HEX | #84525a |
| RGB Decimal | 132, 82, 90 |
| RGB Percent | 51.76%, 32.16%, 35.29% |
| HSV | Hue: 350° Saturation: 37.88% Value: 51.76% |
| HSL | hsl(350, 23, 42) |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 37.88 Yellow: 31.82 Key: 48.24 |
| YIQ | Y: 97.862 I: 27.224 Q: 13.066 |
| XYZ | X: 14.379 Y: 11.679 Z: 11.167 |
| CIE Lab | L:40.702 a:22.014 b:4.144 |
| CIE Luv | L:40.702 u:31.745 v:1.523 |
| Decimal | 8671834 |
| Hunter Lab | 34.175, 15.296, 4.549 |
Color equivalents
HDC-CL-02
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SW 6299
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CW-350
Barrett Brick
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Wine Not
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SW 6306
Cordial
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1266
Love Affair
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V079-6
Maroon Rover
Valspar US
SW 7579
Alaea
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MQ1-01
Rule Breaker
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MQ1-05
Rialto
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PPU1-19
Classic Berry
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HC-61
New London Burgundy
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SW 6292
Berry Bush
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1281
Tawny Port
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S130-6
Spiced Potpourri
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1357
Bottle of Bordéaux
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CSP-435
Modern Romance
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1295
Hearth Red
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