Emerald Isle → Valspar
The closest Valspar matches for Sherwin Williams Emerald Isle (SW 6440), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Valspar Equivalent for Emerald Isle
If you love Sherwin Williams Emerald Isle 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 Sherwin Williams, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Emerald Isle (SW 6440) is a dark green with rich emerald undertones. A rich, deep emerald green. Bold and dramatic. To find a good Valspar match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 10) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Emerald Isle 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 results are decent but not perfect. The closest Valspar option is Gravity Dark (VR093A) with a Delta E of 2.6, which is a "good match" level match. Gravity Dark is the closest Valspar option at LRV 14. Very close match. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Valspar Matches for Emerald Isle
Gravity Dark is the closest Valspar option at LRV 14. Very close match.
| Emerald Isle | Gravity Dark | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 10 | 14 |
| Hex | #516B56 | #747E72 |
| Undertone | Rich Emerald | Dark Moss Green |
| Family | Green | Green |
Undertone Comparison
Emerald Isle has rich emerald undertones. A rich, deep emerald green. Bold and dramatic.
Gravity Dark has dark moss green undertones. A dark, mossy green. Valspar's deepest sage. Earthy and dramatic, like a forest floor carpeted in moss.
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. Emerald Isle's rich emerald quality may read differently than Gravity Dark's dark moss green 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
Emerald Isle in Your Room
In bright light, vibrant emerald. In dim rooms, a deep, dark green. Statement-making.
Gravity Dark in Your Room
In bright rooms, the moss-green is visible and organic. In dim rooms, a dark, moody gray-green.
LRV and Brightness
Emerald Isle has an LRV of 10, while Gravity Dark has an LRV of 14. 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 Emerald Isle
Sherwin Williams recommends Emerald Isle for: accent wall, powder room, front door, office, dining room. With an LRV of 10, 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.
Gravity Dark is recommended for: accent wall, exterior, kitchen cabinets, front door, powder room. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Gravity Dark in the same rooms you planned for Emerald Isle.
Emerald Isle in Other Brands
Looking for Emerald Isle equivalents in other brands besides Valspar? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Valspar match for Emerald Isle (SW 6440) is Gravity Dark (VR093A) with a Delta E of 2.6, which rates as a "good match" match. Gravity Dark is the closest Valspar option at LRV 14. 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. Emerald Isle is a Sherwin Williams color with rich emerald undertones and an LRV of 10. Gravity Dark is a Valspar color with dark moss green undertones and an LRV of 14. With a Delta E of 2.6, 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 2.6, 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.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.