Finding a Valspar Equivalent for Evening Dove

If you love Benjamin Moore Evening Dove but need a Valspar alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Valspar, your local store does not carry Benjamin Moore, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.

Evening Dove (2128-30) is a dark gray with warm dark green-gray undertones. A dark, warm gray with green undertones. Named for the dove at dusk. Softer than Wrought Iron, more complex than a flat charcoal. To find a good Valspar match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 10.55) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.

We calculated the perceptual color distance between Evening Dove and every Valspar color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.

The good news: there is a strong Valspar match for Evening Dove. Woodsmoke (VR078C) comes in with a Delta E of 2.2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Woodsmoke is the closest Valspar option at LRV 12. Very close match.

Valspar Matches for Evening Dove

Woodsmoke VR078C
Excellent match · ΔE 2.2

Woodsmoke is the closest Valspar option at LRV 12. Very close match.

Evening DoveWoodsmoke
LRV10.5512
Hex#64645F#716F6B
UndertoneWarm Dark Green-GrayWarm Smoky Charcoal
FamilyGrayGray

Undertone Comparison

Evening Dove has warm dark green-gray undertones. A dark, warm gray with green undertones. Named for the dove at dusk. Softer than Wrought Iron, more complex than a flat charcoal.

Woodsmoke has warm smoky charcoal undertones. A warm, smoky charcoal. The color of wood smoke. Darker than Tempered Gray, with a warm, organic quality.

The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Evening Dove's warm dark green-gray quality may read differently than Woodsmoke's warm smoky charcoal character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.

How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting

Evening Dove in Your Room

In bright light, the green lean shows subtly. In dim rooms, a warm near-black. Rich and nuanced.

Woodsmoke in Your Room

Warm and smoky. In bright rooms, the warm brown-charcoal shows. In dim rooms, approaches a warm near-black.

LRV and Brightness

Evening Dove has an LRV of 10.55, while Woodsmoke has an LRV of 12. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.

Best Rooms for Evening Dove

Benjamin Moore recommends Evening Dove for: front door, accent wall, exterior trim, shutters, cabinets. With an LRV of 10.55, this is a dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.

Woodsmoke is recommended for: accent wall, exterior, front door, cabinets, office. The recommended applications differ slightly between brands, but the color's properties should work in the same rooms regardless of which brand you choose. Trust the LRV and undertone data more than the specific room suggestions, and always test in your actual space.

Evening Dove in Other Brands

Looking for Evening Dove equivalents in other brands besides Valspar? We have matches across all major paint brands.

Frequently Asked Questions

The closest Valspar match for Evening Dove (2128-30) is Woodsmoke (VR078C) with a Delta E of 2.2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Woodsmoke is the closest Valspar option at LRV 12. Very close match. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.

No, they are not identical. Evening Dove is a Benjamin Moore color with warm dark green-gray undertones and an LRV of 10.55. Woodsmoke is a Valspar color with warm smoky charcoal undertones and an LRV of 12. With a Delta E of 2.2, the difference is subtle and mainly visible in direct side-by-side comparison. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.

With a Delta E of 2.2, these colors are close enough to use in separate rooms of the same house without a jarring difference. However, avoid painting them on adjacent walls in the same room, as even subtle differences become apparent at a hard edge where two paints meet. For the smoothest result, use one brand consistently within each connected space and reserve the other brand for rooms that are visually separated.

There are several practical reasons to look for a Valspar equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Valspar. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Valspar work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.

Colors on screen are approximations. Your monitor, lighting, and paint finish will affect how colors appear in your space. Always test with a physical paint sample before purchasing.

Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.