Espresso (BM 2099-30) vs Walnut (BM CW-240)
Quick decision
- Lighter
- Walnut, LRV 17.6 vs 12.6.
- Warmer
- About the same, both orange (Lab b* 14.7 vs 14.3).
- North rooms
- Walnut keeps more brightness (L* 42.9 vs 35.8 in north light); both drift gray about equally.
- Trim that works
- Frosty Pink BM 2010-70, #FDE9E3, LRV 82.1: the Benjamin Moore white closest in hue to both.
- Closeness
- deltaE 6.5, clearly different. At 6.5, treat them as different colors.
See each color
Espresso (BM 2099-30) is slightly darker than Walnut (BM CW-240) and about as warm: LRV 12.6 vs 17.6, deltaE 6.5 (clearly different).
Side by side
| Measure | Espresso | Walnut | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore | |
| Color code | 2099-30 | CW-240 | |
| Hex | #7C5547 | #906558 | |
| RGB | 124, 85, 71 | 144, 101, 88 | |
| HSL | 16°, 27%, 38% | 14°, 24%, 45% | |
| LRV (light reflectance value) | 12.6 | 17.6 | −5 |
| Lab L* | 40.0 | 46.9 | −6.9 |
| Lab a* | 14.3 | 15.6 | −1.3 |
| Lab b* | 14.7 | 14.3 | +0.4 |
| Undertone | Warm Yellow-Red | Warm Yellow-Red | |
| Temperature | warm | warm | |
| Color family | Brown | Brown |
Same paint, two kinds of light
Espresso (BM 2099-30), published as #7C5547
#6E4C46
#8A5E46
Walnut (BM CW-240), published as #906558
#825C57
#9F6E58
These swatches and the rooms above are a simulation, not a measurement. How the visualizer works
Which should you pick
Rules of thumb computed from the LRV and Lab values in the table above; no room test was done.
- Pick Walnut (BM CW-240) for a small room or a north-facing room, because it is 5 LRV points lighter (17.6 vs 12.6), so it bounces back more of the limited light
Closest matches to Espresso in other brands
Closest matches to Walnut in other brands
Common questions
- Is Espresso the same color as Walnut?
- They are clearly different: a CIEDE2000 difference of 6.5. Espresso and Walnut are different colors.
- Which is lighter, Espresso or Walnut?
- Walnut, with an LRV of 17.6 against 12.6.
Full pages
Related comparisons
Sources: LRV and hex from Benjamin Moore technical data (verified 2026-10-02). Color differences are CIEDE2000 values computed by this site from the hex values (data snapshot 2026-10-01). Color names and codes belong to their manufacturers.