Heritage Red → Sherwin Williams
The closest Sherwin Williams matches for Benjamin Moore Heritage Red (HC-181), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Heritage Red
If you love Benjamin Moore Heritage Red but need a Sherwin Williams 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 Sherwin Williams, your local store does not carry Benjamin Moore, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Heritage Red (HC-181) is a dark red with rich heritage red undertones. A deep, warm red from the Historical Collection. Not bright or fire-engine, but a sophisticated, muted brick red with brown undertones. The color of colonial front doors and historic shutters. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 7.85) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Heritage Red and every Sherwin Williams 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.
Honestly, Sherwin Williams does not have a perfect equivalent for Heritage Red. The closest option is Iron Ore (SW 7069) with a Delta E of 12, but at that distance the difference will be visible. No close SW match. Iron Ore is brown-gray, not red. Consider SW Fireweed or Roycroft Copper Red. If getting this exact color is critical, you may want to explore custom color matching at a Sherwin Williams store.
Sherwin Williams Matches for Heritage Red
No close SW match. Iron Ore is brown-gray, not red. Consider SW Fireweed or Roycroft Copper Red.
| Heritage Red | Iron Ore | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 7.85 | 6 |
| Hex | #7C3732 | #524C47 |
| Undertone | Rich Heritage Red | Warm Brown-Black |
| Family | Red | Black |
Undertone Comparison
Heritage Red has rich heritage red undertones. A deep, warm red from the Historical Collection. Not bright or fire-engine, but a sophisticated, muted brick red with brown undertones. The color of colonial front doors and historic shutters.
Iron Ore has warm brown-black undertones. A warm, rich near-black with brown-charcoal undertones. The most popular dark paint color in America for good reason.
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. Heritage Red's rich heritage red quality may read differently than Iron Ore's warm brown-black 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
Heritage Red in Your Room
In bright light, the red is rich and warm. In dim rooms, it darkens into a moody burgundy-brown. Under warm light, the red glows. A classic, never-goes-out-of-style red.
Iron Ore in Your Room
In bright light, the warm brown undertone is visible. In dim rooms, it reads as a sophisticated soft black. Warmer than a true black, which gives it depth.
LRV and Brightness
Heritage Red has an LRV of 7.85, while Iron Ore has an LRV of 6. 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 Heritage Red
Benjamin Moore recommends Heritage Red for: front door, accent wall, dining room, exterior shutters, powder room. With an LRV of 7.85, 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.
Iron Ore is recommended for: front door, accent wall, exterior trim, cabinets, shutters. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Iron Ore in the same rooms you planned for Heritage Red.
Heritage Red in Other Brands
Looking for Heritage Red equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Heritage Red (HC-181) is Iron Ore (SW 7069) with a Delta E of 12, which rates as a "no good match" match. No close SW match. Iron Ore is brown-gray, not red. Consider SW Fireweed or Roycroft Copper Red. 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. Heritage Red is a Benjamin Moore color with rich heritage red undertones and an LRV of 7.85. Iron Ore is a Sherwin Williams color with warm brown-black undertones and an LRV of 6. With a Delta E of 12, you will likely notice a difference, especially in bright or direct lighting. 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 12, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Sherwin Williams equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Sherwin Williams. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Sherwin Williams work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.