Sandalwood
What Sandalwood Actually Looks Like
Sandalwood 273 is a medium-depth golden tan that sits comfortably between beige and brown. It reads as a warm, sandy earth tone, the kind of color that feels grounded and settled on a wall rather than neutral or receding. At its LRV it carries real visual weight, so it reads as a true color, not a hint of one.
Sandalwood Undertones
The hex and RGB values point clearly to gold and brown working together beneath the surface. There is a quiet yellow-gold warmth that pushes the color toward a burnished tan, and a brown depth that keeps it from reading as yellow or mustard. In strong warm light it can lean more golden. In cooler or north-facing light it can pull toward a muted, dusty taupe. It does not carry green or pink.
Where Sandalwood Works Best
Because it carries real depth, Sandalwood 273 works well in rooms where you want warmth and enclosure. It suits living rooms, dining rooms, studies, and bedrooms where a cocooning feeling is the goal. It can feel heavy in a small, poorly lit room, so pairing it with adequate warm light sources matters. On an exterior it reads as a classic sand or adobe tone.
Where to put Sandalwood
In a living room Sandalwood 273 creates a warm, gathered feeling without demanding attention. It works especially well with leather furniture, natural wood floors, and woven textiles. Keep the trim a warm white to prevent the room from reading too dark.
The color's depth suits a dining room well. Candlelight and warm overhead lighting will pull out its golden qualities and make the room feel rich at night. In daylight it stays grounded and earthy.
On bedroom walls it reads restful rather than stimulating. It pairs naturally with linen and cotton bedding in warm whites, creams, or deep rusts. Avoid cool gray or blue-toned bedding, which will fight the warmth.
For a study or home office it brings focus and warmth without the starkness of a bright neutral. It works well with dark wood bookshelves and leather chairs, and it is easy to live with for long stretches.
On an exterior, particularly stucco or siding, it reads as a classic sand or adobe tone. Pair with a deep brown or dark bronze trim for definition, or a warm cream for a softer, more traditional look.
What to Pair With Sandalwood
No coordinating colors are listed in our database for this color at this time. As a general guide, Sandalwood 273 pairs well with warm off-whites on trim, deep chocolate or espresso browns for accents, soft terracotta tones, and muted olive or sage greens. Brass and bronze hardware reads naturally with it.
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Colors that clash with Sandalwood
Sandalwood 273 is built on warm gold and brown. Place it next to a cool gray or blue-gray in an open floor plan and the two colors will fight each other, making both look off.
A stark, cool bright white on trim will make Sandalwood 273 look dull or dirty by comparison, and will highlight any cool shift the color takes in north-facing light.
Gray-washed or blue-toned hardwood or tile floors will pull the eye away from the wall color's warmth and create a visual disconnect.
Common questions
The precise LRV is 33.34, which puts it in the medium-to-medium-dark range. It is not a deep dramatic dark, but it carries enough depth that it will visibly darken a room. Small rooms with limited natural light will feel noticeably more enclosed.
Yes, it is available in both Benjamin Moore's interior and exterior lines, so you can use it consistently across a project.
Yes. In warm south or west light it pulls golden and feels lively. In cooler north light it can flatten toward a more muted, dusty tan, losing some of its warmth. A sample board tested on the actual wall is the most reliable way to judge this in your specific space.
An eggshell or matte finish keeps the earthy, grounded quality of the color intact. A higher sheen like satin or semi-gloss will intensify the golden undertones and can feel less settled, though satin works fine on trim or cabinetry.