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Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Mylands Bond Street No.219?

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Quick answer

Yes — Dulux Raven Plume is the closest cheaper match at ΔE 2.3, with Crown Anthracite and COAT Dodie also landing very close. All three save you a fair bit over Mylands without losing that deep charcoal look.

Mylands Bond Street No.219 is a gorgeous near-black charcoal, but Mylands sits at the premium end and you're paying for that buttery, high-pigment finish. If you love the colour but not the price, you've got three genuinely close options.

The nearest is Dulux Raven Plume (LRV 8.4) at ΔE 2.3 from the original — that's well inside the "very close" band, the kind of difference you'd struggle to spot once it's on a wall in normal light. It's the obvious swap, widely available, and the trade Diamond Matt is hard-wearing for hallways and busy rooms.

Next, Crown Anthracite (LRV 7.3) at ΔE 2.5 — fractionally deeper and slightly more neutral. Crown's emulsions are solid, decorator-friendly, and a good shout if you want a touch more darkness in the mix.

Third, COAT Dodie (LRV 8.9) at ΔE 2.7 — still a close match and worth a look if you'd rather a low-VOC, water-based paint with a cracking matt finish. It's a hair lighter than the Mylands, so it'll read a touch softer in a dim room.

Here's the honest "but what about" though: at these LRVs (all under 9) you're in proper dark-paint territory, and the thing that separates Mylands from the cheaper brands isn't really the colour — it's the depth and the way light moves across it. Mylands' higher pigment load gives a slightly richer, more velvety result, especially in their Marble Matt. If this is a feature wall or a snug where the finish is doing the heavy lifting, that may matter to you. For most ceilings, hallways and second-string rooms, the saving is well worth it and nobody will know the difference.

Whatever you choose, get a tester pot and paint two coats on a bit of lining paper. Move it around the room at different times of day — dark colours shift more than light ones, and ΔE on a screen never tells the full story.

Colours from the answer

LRV 7.8
Mylands
Bond Street No.219
LRV 8.4
Dulux
Raven Plume
LRV 7.3
Crown
Anthracite
LRV 8.9
COAT
Dodie

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