Sherwin Williams Repose Gray: LRV, Lighting, & Best Uses
Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is a light, warm gray paint color that became popular around 2015. While it’s most commonly used on interior walls, especially in open-concept spaces, I often hesitate recommending it to my Online Color clients.
The thing is, colors can change drastically depending on a room’s exposure, surrounding finishes, light bulbs, and such. However, some colors are more unpredictable than others…if you catch my drift.
Now, are you feeling nervous, too? Don’t be. Once you understand what you might see with Repose Gray, it’ll be easier to decide if it’s the right color for you and your home – and it just might be the perfect one!
IS REPOSE GRAY A WARM OR COOL GRAY?
Repose Gray is a gray paint color (I’m not just good-looking, you know). However, it’s not a true neutral gray; like my mind, it’s a bit dirty. This dirt makes Repose Gray a warm gray. It’s not anywhere near beige; however, it’s a step away from some more cool-appearing grays like Sherwin Williams Big Chill and Light French Gray.
This next photo is as warm as I’ve ever seen Repose Gray look. Usually, it appears grayer…
How to Update Your Outdated Granite Countertops – Venetian Gold/Santa Cecilia
WHAT ARE REPOSE GRAY’S UNDERTONES?
If you look at the science of Repose Gray, it has green in its DNA. Does this mean it’ll show green on your walls? Heck no. While it can, this is one of the big reasons Repose Gray isn’t one of my personal favorites.
Sure, it can flash a little green at you…or purple…or blue. Or none of those. Now, don’t get me wrong, every paint color will change its appearance depending on a room’s location, exposure, lighting, and all that jazz – no color is predictable, but Repose Gray is one of the MORE unpredictable colors.
While every gray has undertones, some grays flex their colorful muscles a bit more, and Repose Gray is definitely one of these grays, making it a complete bugger to rely on. For this reason, I recommend ordering the Samplize version to see how it settles in YOUR room.
By the way, my blog runs 99% on wine, Doritos, and my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, and friends sending in their AFTER (and before) photos—thank you so much for sending them in!
WILL REPOSE GRAY LOOK OVERLY BLUE?
While Repose Gray doesn’t want to look blue in the right environment (i.e., exposure-based or with trim that’s overly warm), it CAN pick up a blue hue. However, in my extensive experience, of the three gray undertones, blue is the least likely to show up.
That said, being the scoundrel that it is, it CAN lean blue if given the right conditions…
WILL REPOSE GRAY LOOK OVERLY GREEN?
Repose Gray can nod politely at green but rarely commits on a large scale. If you’re sensitive to green, it shouldn’t set off any alarm bells, but sample carefully. I’ve found that if you place Repose Gray with a finish that has a purple undertone, it could seem a touch green in comparison.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Repose Gray…
This next photo shows Repose Gray picking up a subtle green hue on the left, yet compare it to the wall under the countertop…isn’t natural light a WONDERFUL thing!
BTW, if ANY degree of green makes you nervous, you may want to read this…
The Best Gray Paint Colors With Purple Undertones
WILL REPOSE GRAY LOOK OVERLY PURPLE?
Just as with the green undertone, Repose Gray can pick up a touch of purple without hardcore commitment. If you don’t want any chance of purple, you’re looking at the wrong color. Instead, explore shades of gray that lean toward green.
Remember, EVERY gray has undertones – find the one that best suits the finishes in your home through careful sampling and comparing.
REPOSE GRAY’S LRV
Repose Gray has an LRV of 58. With this LRV, it won’t look like a heavy color in a room with adequate light, but it also won’t bring a ton of reflective value to the table (or the wall, in this case). However, if you have a darker room, that’s where I get twitchy.
I’ve seen Repose Gray fall flat and murky in dark rooms, which is one reason why it’s not a great ‘whole home’ paint color. It really does its best work in rooms with adequate (or better than) lighting.
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Color with LRV
REPOSE GRAY IN A LOW-LIGHT/DARK ROOM OR COOL EXPOSURE
A room might have cool-toned natural light for a few reasons:
- It’s north-facing, as rooms with northern exposure are cool-toned (whether they’re well-lit or not)
- It has east-facing afternoon light or west-facing morning light, both of which can be cool-appearing
Of course, factors like how close to the equator you are, how big your windows are, etc., play a part in how much your exposure affects your room, but you get the idea.
A room might be dark for a range of reasons…
- Regardless of exposure, there are a lot of trees or landscaping blocking the flow of natural light
- It doesn’t have many windows (or any windows)
- There’s a large overhang outside the window (like a deck or large soffit)
Any of the above reasons will contribute to Repose Gray’s changing overall appearance, flexing through the cool undertones and going from a warm gray to a slightly cooler-looking one.
If you have a darker room, Repose Gray can look heavy and drab due to its own features.
1. Repose Gray lacks much chroma or ‘color’. Color is often used to add interest and personality to a room with muted light.
2. Repose Gray has a slightly lower-than-average LRV of 58. That low LRV, combined with the low chroma, can leave it pretty flat-looking. You need to improve your interior lighting and choose the right light bulbs to bring it to life!
In this next image, Repose Gray is at its best, based on my experience working with it in real homes…
The room isn’t so bright that the color washes out or so dark that it looks drab, though that could be subjective, especially if you want a cleaner, cooler shade of gray.
REPOSE GRAY IN A BRIGHT ROOM
Because Repose Gray has an LRV of 58, it will still wash out a bit in an ULTRA-bright room, but it’ll hold up better than many of the lighter gray paint colors.
In this next photo, you can see a dramatic shift from the left side of the fireplace to the right (okay, I may be exaggerating). Notice how the depth and undertones change with the shift in natural light (the left side is bright northern light).
Paint sampling just got a whole lot easier!
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Repose Gray
WHAT WHITE TRIM GOES WITH REPOSE GRAY WALLS?
When looking for a white paint color for trim, cabinets, ceilings, or doors, lean into those that aren’t OVERLY warm, for example…
- Sherwin Williams Pure White with its wink of softness
- Sherwin Williams White Snow for a cleaner contrast
- Repose Gray does NOT want to be partnered up with an overly warm white!
Sherwin Williams 4 Best White Paint Colors
WHAT ABOUT WALL COLORS WITH REPOSE GRAY CABINETS?
On the other hand, thanks to the gray trends of 2010-2020, many have Repose Gray cabinets. It’s TOUGH to change wall colors when you have a color in this range, regardless of whether it’s gray, beige, taupe, or otherwise.
It’s ideal if you have 15-20+ LRV points between Repose Gray cabinets and your walls, meaning your walls will have an LRV of approximately 75-80+. Tread carefully, as Repose Gray is DAMN FUSSY. If you ask me (which you kind of are), your best bet is white.
The Best White Paint Colors to Go With Gray Floors, Countertops, Etc.
WHERE DOES REPOSE GRAY WORK BEST (& WHERE IT DOESN’T)
To get this party started, let’s do a shortlist of where it tends to look best…
- Rooms with reasonably good natural light, regardless of exposure
- It can be okay on exteriors
- Open-concept spaces or single rooms
Now, let’s break it down to some important specifics…
DOES REPOSE GRAY GO WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIM?
No. Repose Gray is too light and cool-appearing to work with cream cabinets and trim (and their yellow base). Even Mindful Gray can be touchy. Instead, look at warmer neutrals, as they’re more likely to updating or coordinate with your cream finish.
IS IT A GOOD CABINET COLOR?
Generally speaking, no. While it can be the best color match for some backsplash and countertop pairings, it’s not as easy to coordinate with a wall color, which is its biggest flaw in that regard.
Also, because gray cabinetry is seen as being outdated, you won’t be in style. That said, many of us aren’t worried about that, in which case…don’t worry about it.
IS IT A GOOD WHOLE-HOME PAINT COLOR?
For most homes, no. Because its LRV of 58 is a bit low and it’s inherently a muddy, murky warm gray, it doesn’t perform well across a wide range of lighting conditions. That said, if all of your rooms get good natural light, it could be the perfect choice – there are ALWAYS exceptions!
WHICH PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO REPOSE GRAY?
There will be no perfect match across different brands – each color will have its own nuances, undertones, and intentions. Let’s compare a few of the top contenders…
SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY VS. AGREEABLE GRAY
Whereas Repose Gray was massively popular about 10 years ago, within about 4-5 years, Agreeable Gray starting gunnin’ for the title. And it won.
Comparing depths, Agreeable Gray’s LRV of 60 makes it a touch lighter and a better contender for many of my clients’ whole-home painting projects. Stilllll touchy in a dark space, but it’s better than Repose.
Agreeable Gray is also warmer, making it a better transitional color between the gray and beige worlds.
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray Paint Color Review
As for undertones or leanings, it’s more unpredictable than many. But MORE often than not, it settles as ‘pretty dang neutral’ in my client’s homes – not preferring green or purple (and rarely blue).
SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY VS. MINDFUL GRAY
If you’re looking for a color with a bit more meat on its bones and warmth, Mindful Gray is awesome.
Is it the darker version of Repose Gray? No. While they’re similar in some ways, Mindful Gray is its own thing. Depth-wise, Mindful Gray is a good dose darker with its LRV of 48. This makes it a better option for kitchen cabinets, accent walls, or some exteriors. However, with that depth, Repose Gray is often a better choice for the average room.
Here’s Mindful Gray compared to Accessible Beige – another popular choice with my clients…
As for undertones, it’s a touch warmer and a bit less inclined toward green. Don’t be surprised if it winks at you.
Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray Color Review
In exploring Repose Gray, also check out Sherwin Williams On the Rocks and Knitting Needles for a slightly different look.
DOES BENJAMIN MOORE HAVE A SIMILAR SHADE OR ALTERNATIVE?
Benjamin Moore has a few options that I love to sample and compare with Repose Gray…
- Benjamin Moore Nimbus is one of my favorite alternatives.
- Benjamin Moore Cumulus Cloud is warmer and a good tone darker, but not as dark as Mindful Gray
Nimbus is FAR less inclined toward green compared to Repose Gray and is a touch lighter/warmer.
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands, you might want to read THIS first.
Agreeable Gray vs Repose Gray, Revere Pewter & More
WHAT PAINT COLORS GO WITH REPOSE GRAY?
If you’re looking for colors that complement Repose Gray, I’ve got them. Of course, it depends on whether you need them for an accent wall, cabinets, an adjoining room, etc, but these will get you started…
- WHITE PAINT COLORS: Whites that are bright or only slightly warmer (i.e. Sherwin Williams Pure White)
- MEDIUM TO DARK, SIMILAR SHADES: Shades of gray with similar undertone profiles but more DEPTH, like Dorian Gray or Dovetail can be great partners
- GRAY-GREEN-BLENDS (LIGHT-MEDIUM): There are any number of light-medium to medium GRAY-blue-green blends that are awesome, so long as their LRVs are lower than 58 (Repose).
- BLUE-GREEN BLENDS: Check out darker BLUE-GREEN-gray blends (meaning the gray takes a step back) if you’re looking for an interesting accent with more color.
- DARKER GRAY-BLUES: If you need a gorgeous accent,DARK blue-gray blends can be magical with Repose Gray.
- GREEN-GRAYS: Starting with LRVs approx. 50 and lower, explore green-gray paint colors.
- DARK GREEN-GRAYS: Darker muted greens like Sherwin Williams Grizzle Gray, as well as a wide range of medium to dark green paint colors.
- Repose Gray doesn’t always like paint colors that are cooler and lighter than itself, or darker and warmer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For any roaming quandaries or queries…
IS REPOSE GRAY STILL A POPULAR PAINT COLOR – IS IT OUTDATED?
While Repose Gray has a small following, it’s fractionally as popular as it used to be (that’s an overstatement, btw). Realistically, most of my Online Paint Color clients lean toward other warm neutrals with more predictability and flexibility.
IS REPOSE GRAY BETTER THAN AGREEABLE GRAY?
A question like this is ALWAYS open to perception. However, in my experience, Agreeable Gray is 99.9% more popular than Repose Gray and is often the better choice for the average room, not just for its warmth, but for its slightly lighter depth.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
DOES REPOSE GRAY GO WITH EVERYTHING?
Heck…no. That’s one reason why I hesitate to recommend Repose Gray to my average client – it’s not flexible. Will it suit SOME interior finishes? For sure, but many other colors have a better chance of success in the average home.
SUMMARY
- Repose Gray is a light-depth, warm gray paint color with no committed preference for an undertone. This means it can be unpredictable.
- Its depth of 58 puts it on the low end of the light range – great for well-lit rooms.
- While it’s not necessarily great for every project, it works well in single rooms and open-concept spaces.
- It suits a wide range of accent colors, including darker gray-blues, green-grays, and more.
- It works best with brighter whites or not overly creamy ones.
Not sure if Repose Gray is the right color for you? I’ve got more!
READ MORE
The Top 10 Warm Gray Paint Colors
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
The Best WHOLE HOME Gray Paint Colors
Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Consulting / E-Design Services!
Updated with new content and images in 2026
I just rented an apartment painted entirely in Repose Gray. I hate it. Not the color itself, but the fact that it doesn’t go with any of my furniture or rugs. Anything warm like tans with yellow in them look repulsive with the paint. If you have clear colors like greens or blues (I have both), forget it. The other thing I’d say about it is that it is best to use in a transitional or contemporary design. It makes good wood look really drab. Unfortunately, house flippers are still obsessed with using this color, so you see it everywhere. It is, in my opinion, by NO means a neutral go-with-anything color. Annnnd . . . remember the effect color has on mood. Gray mixed with brown, people.
Oooo yes, Repose Gray is a TOUGH one. I’ve actually seen it fall out of favor quite a bit in the last few years! Thank you for your comment as it helps others make the best choice for THEIR homes!
Our whole house color is Repose Gray and it’s perfect to add a touch of warmth to our old home (1928). However, I’m struggling to find a coordinating color for our east facing bathroom that butts up against the repose gray hallway. I’ve tried sea salt and it’s too “seafoamy/minty” looking. Healing aloe is looking too minty as well. Do you have any east facing paint color recommendations that coordinate with Repose gray? I haev a small red persian area rug and white tile currently. Thank you!! I’m stuck!
Oh, it’s SO hard to say without seeing the room, but have you checked out the likes of SW Silver Strand???
Hi Kylie, Love your blog and your sense of humor. I am perplexed!! I think I have every paint swatch that BM and SW makes in the grey family. My kitchen is small, western light. I want to paint the cabinets a light grey. My walls are White Dove, which looks very bright. My floors are off white tile which has a bit cream and grey but look light. My quartz is grey and black veining with gold veining on a light background.. I thought White Dove for cabinets or Agreeable Grey, or Repose grey. I want a slight difference from the walls. Any thoughts? Also I thought the quartz would favor a slightly darker cabinet!
Ooo, it’s tough Karen, as White Dove can be a bit FUSSY about its cabinet partners! I wouldn’t do Repose Gray, and with Agreeable Gray, I might just bump down to the light-medium version, Anew Gray. It can also really depend on the undertones in the gray in your space, whether they cater to blue, violet, or green. I do know that REvere Pewter 25% darker looks LOVELY with White Dove (as i have this combo in my home!).
Thanks Kylie…. I just found Crushed Ice while looking for soft grey colors. I was thinking crushed ice on cabinets and white dove on walls. Would they complement each other? Thanks for answering!! 😄
I miiiight just darken Crushed Ice by 25% or lighten White Dove by 25%. Or maybe just look at Pure White instead of White Dove 🙂
Can’t crushed ice pull purple?
It certainly can, given the right lighting conditions! Some grays are more susceptible to movement than others, and Crushed Ice is one of those.
Hi Kylie,
Trying to decide what cabinet color to go with for my west facing kitchen with a lot of light, I lightened repose grey 75% and I also lightened it 50%. I really would like a similar color that is in between. Any recommendations? Also, if I do go witht the 50% lightened repose on cabinets, which trim color would you suggest?
My kitchen inspirations is this: (please note she has repose grey on her cabinets but her photos are lightened and not a true respresentation of the color).
https://www.findinglovely.com/our-kitchen-reveal-finally/
Thank you!
Oooo, that is lovely! Now, it’s hard to say what look you’re going for, as you’re right, Repose Gray can look much different from that. This said, it looks like you’re trying to get that GENERAL look by lightening Repose Gray these percentages?
Either way, it’s tough for me to say for sure without seeing the lightened samples against white. For a color in between, every color will have its nuances and shifts. Off the VERY TOP of my head, the color on those cabinets looks like a light, stormy gray (not warm, not cold) with violet undertones. This would have me naturally thinking of BM Silver Satin. Generally, the lighter you go, the more that purple can pop up, so you do need to be careful (i.e. SW Eider White can be quite violet). And while it might be a bit warmer than you’re wanting, those cabinets have me thinking of BM Light Pewter, too!
Hi Kylie,
I recently selected SW Repose Grey for an over all house paint, Starting in the hallway with no natural light, however, it is revealing more of a purplish undertone than all my swatches I did showed (This is also my first house DIY Remodel). The house has the old 70s style red/orange wood floors, not sure the stain color but it looks similar to Brazilian Cherry according to pictures. And then a creamier off white trim. Before I repaint my whole house, should I switch my paint? I am looking for a light greige color that goes well with an older limited lighting house to brighten everything as it is so gloomy and dull with the DARK beige walls. I am also not against repainting my trim if that would help. I also have two built in wooden bookshelves I want an accent color to paint that gives a modern, yet minimalistic/rustic vibe. Please help, im struggling
Oooo, it’s so hard to say without seeing your home, but off the TOP, I’m not a huge Repose Gray fan, in general. If you’re open to changing the trim, maybe something like SW Egret White or BM Edgecomb Gray might be more moderate??? SW White Duck is lovely, too.