Mahogany
What Mahogany Actually Looks Like
Mahogany ES-60 is a deep, brownish red that leans toward the warm, earthy end of the spectrum. It carries the weight of dark wood tones, sitting somewhere between a saturated terracotta brown and a muted brick red. In strong natural light it shows its warmth fully, and in lower or north-facing light it can read almost like a dark espresso brown. It is not a showpiece color that announces itself softly. It commits.
Mahogany Undertones
The dominant undertone here is warm red-brown, the kind that pulls toward aged wood and dry earth rather than anything orange or rusty. Depending on your light source and the surrounding finishes, a subtle reddish cast can become more apparent. Pair it with cool whites or blue-grays and that warmth becomes more pronounced. Pair it with other warm, earthy tones and it settles in quietly.
Where Mahogany Works Best
This color earns its place in rooms where you want depth and presence. A dining room, a library, a study, a powder room, or any accent wall where you want the color to do real work. It can also function as a front door or exterior trim color, particularly on homes with brick, stone, or warm-toned siding where the earthy red-brown reads as intentional and grounded rather than heavy. On cabinetry it can add richness, especially when the surrounding materials, countertops, backsplash, hardware, lean warm rather than cool or creamy.
Where to put Mahogany
A dining room with warm incandescent lighting is one of the best places for Mahogany ES-60. The depth of the color creates an intimate, enclosed feeling that suits evening meals. Keep the ceiling lighter to avoid closing the room in completely, and bring in natural wood furniture or brass hardware to work with the warm red-brown rather than fight it.
In a study, this color gives you the focus and enclosure that lighter neutrals can never deliver. It reads serious without being cold. South or east-facing exposures will show more of the warm red quality. In a north-facing room it can feel heavy, so balance it with plenty of warm-toned task lighting and light wood or leather accents.
Powder rooms are one of the best places to commit to a color like this. The small square footage means the depth works in your favor, creating a rich, cocooning atmosphere. Use a semi-gloss or satin finish to add some reflectivity, and the color will feel polished rather than flat.
As a front door, shutter, or trim color, Mahogany ES-60 works particularly well on homes with brick facades, warm stone, or tan and brown siding. The earthy red-brown bridges natural materials without clashing. Avoid pairing it with stark cool-gray or bright white trim if you want a cohesive look. Warm off-white or cream trim is a better companion.
What to Pair With Mahogany
No specific Benjamin Moore coordinating colors are listed in our database for ES-60, so treat the following as general pairing guidance based on the color's character.
Colors that clash with Mahogany
Cool gray walls, cool gray flooring, or blue-gray stone countertops will pull hard against the warm red-brown of Mahogany ES-60. The contrast can feel jarring rather than dynamic, highlighting the reddish cast of the color in a way that reads less intentional.
Very creamy, yellow-toned whites used as trim or ceiling colors can muddy the overall palette when paired with this color. The yellow in the white and the red-brown of the wall can create a dated combination that neither color deserves.
In a room with limited natural light and cool-toned LED or fluorescent lighting, Mahogany ES-60 can shift toward a flat, muddy brown and lose the warmth that makes it interesting.
Common questions
The hex and RGB values are displayed in the color spec block on this page. The precise LRV for ES-60 is not available in our database at this time, but the color is clearly a deep, dark shade, so expect a low light reflectance that suits accent and intimate spaces rather than rooms where you need brightness.
It can work on cabinets, but the surrounding materials matter a lot. If your countertops and backsplash are on the warmer side, without heavy cream or cool gray tones, the red-brown of ES-60 will feel cohesive. In a kitchen with cool-toned stone or stainless steel as the dominant material, it will feel like it is fighting rather than contributing.
For walls in living spaces, eggshell gives you a little sheen without being reflective enough to show every imperfection. For trim, doors, or cabinetry, go semi-gloss. In a powder room where you want the color to feel polished and intentional, satin or semi-gloss works well on all surfaces.
Yes, particularly as a front door, shutter, or accent trim color. It complements brick, warm stone, and tan or brown siding naturally. The earthy red-brown reads grounded and deliberate on exteriors with warm-toned building materials. Pair with a warm off-white or cream for trim to keep the palette cohesive.