Black Bean Soup 2130-10
Benjamin MooreBenjamin Moore Black Bean Soup (2130-10) is a rich, dark chocolate brown that borders on a warm black. With an LRV of 6.1, it features deep red-brown undertones that prevent it from feeling stark or cold, making it an excellent choice for dramatic cabinetry and cozy accent walls.
| Temperature | Warm |
|---|---|
| Primary Undertone | Chocolate Brown |
| Hidden Undertones | Subtle red and purple-brown |
| Best Exposures | North or East |
| Best For | Kitchen cabinets, accent walls, dining rooms, libraries, exterior trim |
Hackrea Review
Black Bean Soup is a beautifully crafted off-black that delivers unparalleled depth. We love how its hidden red-brown warmth grounds a space without the harshness of a true black, making it a sophisticated choice for moody interiors and striking exterior trim.Application & Styling Recipes for Black Bean Soup 2130-10
Kitchen Cabinets & Islands
The low-chroma brown-black base of this color grounds lower cabinetry, anchoring the kitchen’s visual weight against lighter upper elements. Its warm cast interacts with natural stone veining, pulling out tertiary rust or bronze tones in the countertop. Avoiding stark whites on adjacent walls prevents a jarring, high-contrast clash that undercuts the paint’s richness.
Accent Walls & Fireplaces
Applying this deep hue to a fireplace focal wall forces the surrounding architecture to step forward, creating immediate structural depth. The ambient light absorption of the dark pigment minimizes drywall imperfections, provided the surface is meticulously prepped to eliminate sanding marks. Flanking the dark center with warm wood tones mitigates the risk of the color reading as a flat, muddy black.
Dining Rooms
Wrapping an entire dining room in this dark chocolate hue establishes an enclosed perimeter that directs focus to the center of the space. Artificial incandescent lighting at night activates the paint’s subtle purple-brown flash, adding warmth to evening gatherings. Introducing reflective metallic accents breaks up the continuous dark surface and bounces light back into the room.
Library/Study
This color acts as an architectural finish on built-in bookcases, turning standard millwork into a monolithic backdrop for leather and paper textures. The red-brown undertones sync effortlessly with natural mahogany or cherry flooring, bridging the gap between wall and floor. Relying on a higher sheen for these built-ins reflects ambient light, preventing the room from feeling completely light-starved.
Exterior Trim & Shutters
Utilizing Black Bean Soup 2130-10 on exterior shutters provides sharp, defining contrast against warm stone or stucco siding. The intense outdoor sunlight prevents the color from reading as a flat black, instead highlighting its rich, brown-black complexity. Meticulous surface preparation is mandatory, as direct UV exposure will highlight any underlying wood grain inconsistencies or sanding flaws.
You can apply wallpapers, paints, etc. on walls and see how they look in various interiors.
Architectural Color Structure: Head-to-Head Comparisons
Benjamin Moore Black Bean Soup 2130-10 vs. Sherwin-Williams Black Bean SW 6006
Sherwin-Williams Black Bean SW 6006 carries a slightly higher LRV and leans more toward a straightforward, neutral brown profile. Benjamin Moore Black Bean Soup 2130-10 sits darker (LRV 6.1) and contains a distinct red-brown undertone that can flash a subtle purple-brown under incandescent light. Specify the Benjamin Moore iteration for formal, low-lit dining spaces where that complex purple-brown flash adds warmth, but pivot to the Sherwin-Williams option in spaces where true neutrality is required alongside green-leaning natural stones.
Benjamin Moore Black Bean Soup 2130-10 vs. Benjamin Moore Night Shade 2116-10
Night Shade 2116-10 is a true, deep eggplant, actively projecting purple as its primary read rather than a hidden undertone. Black Bean Soup 2130-10 remains firmly anchored as a low-chroma brown-black, only revealing its purple-brown flash under specific lighting shifts. Deploy Night Shade 2116-10 when designing a deliberate, jewel-toned library, but rely on Black Bean Soup 2130-10 when grounding natural wood floors and warm metallic hardware where a dominant purple would clash.
Benjamin Moore Black Bean Soup 2130-10 vs. Farrow & Ball Cola 9918
Farrow & Ball Cola 9918 presents as a highly saturated, red-forward mahogany, significantly warmer and more vibrant than its Benjamin Moore counterpart. Black Bean Soup 2130-10 possesses far more black pigment, driving down its chroma and increasing its ambient light absorption for a moodier presence. Utilize Cola 9918 to inject energetic warmth into a moderately lit hallway, but reserve Black Bean Soup 2130-10 for high-contrast cabinetry lacquer against warm off-white walls.
Technical FAQs
Yes, its red-brown undertones can cause a subtle purple-brown flash, particularly under warm artificial incandescent lighting. In completely windowless spaces, however, it tends to lose this complexity and flatten into a muddy black.
Yes, the inherent warmth of this dark chocolate hue creates a jarring, unbalanced contrast when placed directly against stark, cool whites. It requires warm, creamy off-whites or soft greiges to maintain architectural harmony.
Intense sunlight illuminates the red-brown undertones, preventing it from looking like a standard flat black. However, because direct UV light exposes surface flaws, meticulous sanding and a dark-tinted primer are mandatory for a smooth finish.
Yes, it acts as a low-light trap that will lose its rich warmth and read as a flat, muddy black without natural light. It should only be specified for well-lit, sun-drenched spaces.
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