Laurentian Red
What Laurentian Red Actually Looks Like
Laurentian Red is a dark, brooding red that leans more toward dried brick and aged burgundy than anything bright or candy-like. It carries real depth, sitting well below the midpoint of the light scale, so it reads as a genuinely dark color in most rooms. In bright south or west light it warms up and shows more of its red character. Pull it into a shadowed north-facing space and it can shift toward a deep brownish wine, almost like old leather.
Laurentian Red Undertones
The color is built on a foundation of brown and muted pink-red, which keeps it from reading as a pure saturated red. That brown base is what makes it feel earthy rather than bold or aggressive. Depending on your light source and the finishes around it, you may catch a faint russet warmth or a cooler burgundy cast. Incandescent bulbs pull out the warmer red-brown tones. Cooler daylight, especially on an overcast day or in north-facing rooms, pushes it toward a deeper, more muted wine.
Where Laurentian Red Works Best
Because the LRV is very low, Laurentian Red absorbs a lot of light and makes a space feel smaller and more enclosed. That quality is an asset in the right situation. Use it where you want intimacy and weight: a dining room, a library, a study, a powder room, or an accent wall behind a fireplace. It is not a color to roll across every wall of an open-plan main floor. On exteriors it can work well on a front door or shutters against stone, brick, or a neutral siding, where its earthy warmth ties into natural materials. Avoid using it in any room where the goal is to feel bright or airy.
Where to put Laurentian Red
A dining room is one of the best places for a dark earthy red. You spend shorter, intentional stretches of time in there, usually in warm artificial light, which flatters Laurentian Red. Paint all four walls and let the color create a sense of enclosure around the table. Pair with warm wood furniture and brass or aged bronze hardware to keep the whole room cohesive.
Dark walls and book-filled shelves are a natural match, and Laurentian Red adds warmth that cooler dark colors cannot. Use it on all walls including the ceiling if you want a fully immersive reading room. Layer in leather, dark wood, and soft lighting for a space that feels settled and comfortable.
Small square footage works in your favor here. The color can fully saturate a tiny powder room without feeling oppressive, and the drama is part of the appeal. A statement mirror with a warm-metal frame and a vessel sink in a natural material will keep the space from feeling heavy.
If full commitment feels like too much, a single fireplace wall or a recessed architectural feature painted in Laurentian Red gives you the depth and warmth without taking over the room. Keep the surrounding walls in a warm off-white or a natural linen tone so the red reads as a deliberate design choice.
On an exterior door, Laurentian Red reads as a refined, classic choice. It sits close to the tradition of English estate reds without veering into anything bright. It pairs naturally with brick, stone, and dark roofing. Use a high-gloss or semi-gloss finish to give the color some reflectivity and help it hold up outdoors.
What to Pair With Laurentian Red
No formal coordinating colors are listed in our database for CC-152, so the pairings below are based on how the color behaves in practice.
Colors that clash with Laurentian Red
If Laurentian Red is on an accent wall or door and the adjacent walls are a cool gray or blue-gray, the warm brown undertones in the red will look muddy and disconnected. The two color temperatures work against each other.
Polished chrome, brushed nickel, and other cool-toned metals pull out the cooler burgundy notes in the color, and the overall effect can feel a little flat and dated.
A stark, cool bright white trim next to Laurentian Red creates a high-contrast pairing that emphasizes the color's darker, cooler undertones and can make the combination feel harsh.
Common questions
The Benjamin Moore color code is CC-152. The LRV is 10.84, which puts it firmly in the dark range. You will find the hex value rendered in the color spec block on this page.
It depends on the room and your goal. In a large, well-lit space with plenty of natural light, it can work on all four walls, but expect the room to feel cozy and enclosed rather than open. In a smaller room with limited windows, going wall-to-wall is a big commitment and the effect will be very dark. Many people get the most out of it on a single accent wall or in a room where atmosphere matters more than brightness, like a dining room or study.
On interior walls, an eggshell finish is a solid choice: it has just enough sheen to be wipeable without drawing attention to surface imperfections the way a satin or semi-gloss can. On a front door or shutters, go semi-gloss or high-gloss to give the color reflectivity and help it hold up to weather and handling.
Deep, saturated colors like this almost always need at least two full coats for even coverage, and the coverage can vary depending on what you are painting over. If you are going from a light wall color, ask your paint store to tint the primer to a mid-tone red-brown base. That cuts down the number of topcoats needed for a fully opaque result.
It can, but it is a serious commitment. Dark red cabinets absorb light and make a kitchen feel more enclosed, so this works best in a kitchen with good natural light or strong overhead lighting. The earthy brown base in the color means it pairs more naturally with wood countertops, warm stone, or aged brass hardware than with white marble or cool gray countertops. A semi-gloss or satin finish is the practical choice for a surface that takes that much daily contact.