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What's the closest Dulux match to Paint & Paper Library Stone V?

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Quick answer

The two closest Dulux matches to Paint & Paper Library Stone V are Salisbury Stones 3 and Dune Grass, both landing at ΔE 2.7 — very close, though not a dead ringer.

Both Dulux Salisbury Stones 3 (LRV 50.6) and Dulux Dune Grass (LRV 50.9) sit at ΔE 2.7 from Paint & Paper Library Stone V. That's into very-close territory — under 2.5 is what we'd call near-imperceptible, and 2.7 is just the other side of that line. In practice you'll see a whisper of difference if you held the two chips side by side in daylight, but on a wall, on its own, nobody's going to clock it.

What's worth knowing is *why* there's a gap at all. Stone V is a warm, soft mid-stone with that gentle Paint & Paper Library depth, and Dulux's nearest pair lean very slightly differently in undertone. Both Dulux options sit just above LRV 50, so they'll behave the same way light-wise — that's a calm, light-but-not-bright mid tone that holds up nicely in north-facing rooms without going cold.

My honest steer: if the finish and exact tone matter — say you're matching into existing PPL work or you love that particular Stone V character — buy the real thing. Paint & Paper Library's Architect's range has a quality of finish that's hard to replicate, and you're only saving a few quid going to Dulux. Where the Dulux match earns its keep is on larger jobs, trade-spec ceilings, or rental refurbs where budget and availability win, and a ΔE of 2.7 is more than good enough.

Whichever way you go, order a sample pot of both Salisbury Stones 3 and Dune Grass, paint two A2 boards, and view them at different times of day before committing. Undertone shifts with light far more than any ΔE figure suggests, so let your own eye make the final call rather than the numbers alone. And if you're brushing it out, keep the sheen level consistent between rooms — mismatched finishes will read as a colour difference even when the colour's spot on.

Colours from the answer

LRV 46.7
Paint & Paper Library
Stone V
LRV 50.6
Dulux
Salisbury Stones 3
LRV 50.9
Dulux
Dune Grass

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