Dark Salmon
What Dark Salmon Actually Looks Like
Dark Salmon 2009-30 is a saturated coral-red, sitting firmly between a classic tomato red and a ripe orange. It is not a soft or muted color. At this depth it reads as a committed statement on any surface, landing closer to a punchy coral in warm-lit rooms and pulling slightly more red in cooler north-facing light.
Dark Salmon Undertones
The dominant undertone here is orange, which keeps the color warm across nearly all lighting conditions. In direct sunlight it can lean noticeably peachy-coral. Under cool artificial light or in a north-facing room with limited daylight, the orange recedes and the red comes forward, giving the wall a more intense, almost fire-engine quality.
Where Dark Salmon Works Best
Because it is an interior-only color with a mid-low light reflectance, Dark Salmon 2009-30 absorbs a fair amount of light. That makes it best suited to rooms where you want energy and warmth rather than airiness. Think accent walls, dining rooms, entryways, or a powder room where the drama is intentional. Avoid it in small, windowless rooms you want to feel larger.
Where to put Dark Salmon
A dining room is one of the strongest fits for this color. The warmth and saturation make candlelit dinners feel lively, and the space is used in short bursts so the intensity rarely feels overwhelming.
An entryway benefits from the high-energy welcome this color delivers. Because entry halls are transitional spaces, you get the impact without committing every room in the house to a bold palette.
Small powder rooms are a classic choice for saturated colors, and Dark Salmon performs well here. Limited square footage means less paint cost, and guests spend just enough time in the space to appreciate the boldness without fatigue.
One wall in a living room or bedroom can carry this color effectively if the remaining three walls are neutral. It anchors the room without overwhelming it, especially behind a sofa or a bed frame.
What to Pair With Dark Salmon
No Benjamin Moore coordinating colors are listed for this color in our database. As a general pairing strategy, Dark Salmon 2009-30 works well against crisp whites with no pink bias, soft warm neutrals, and deep navy or forest green for contrast. Brass and unlacquered copper hardware read naturally against the orange undertone.
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Colors that clash with Dark Salmon
If an adjacent room is painted in a cool blue-gray, the transition into Dark Salmon can feel jarring rather than intentional. The orange undertone in the salmon and the blue bias in the gray actively compete at the threshold.
Blush or dusty-rose upholstery can clash with the orange lean of this color. The two pinks fight each other rather than reading as a cohesive palette.
Polished chrome fixtures and cool silver hardware look disconnected against this warm coral-red. The contrast reads as accidental rather than designed.
Common questions
The precise LRV is 24.87, which puts it in the medium-dark range. It will absorb noticeably more light than it reflects, so rooms will feel cozier and more enclosed. Plan for adequate lighting if you use it in a space without strong natural light.
No, this color is listed for interior use only. If you want a similar coral-red on an exterior surface, you would need to find a comparable color in Benjamin Moore's exterior line and sample it, since exterior and interior formulas can shift in appearance.
In high-traffic or statement spaces like dining rooms and entryways, an eggshell or satin finish holds up to cleaning and adds a slight glow that suits the warmth of the color. Flat or matte finishes will make the color feel softer and more chalky, which can work on an accent wall but may look less intentional in a high-contact area.
A saturated mid-dark color like this typically requires two full coats over a tinted primer for even coverage. Skipping primer or using a stark white base can cause streakiness or require a third coat, especially if you are covering a lighter or very different color.