Sherwin Williams Argos: Undertones, Lighting, & Best Uses

A gorgeous gray with some sneaky undertones…

Grays are tough. Do you want a gray-blue, gray-green, or gray-purple? Or maybe you don’t want any undertone at all – YOU JUST WANT FRIGGIN’ GRAY! I get it. And while ‘friggin’ gray’ doesn’t exist, there’s a whole world of grays just waiting to go on your walls, cabinets, and exteriors, including this one.

I love to show RELATEABLE and REAL homes, so I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality pics I need (hence the ‘QUICK Review’), but I definitely have some super helpful info to help you on your way!

 

WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS ARGOS?

Argos is a gray paint color. There are warm grays, stormy grays, and cool grays. Argos is in the stormy gray category as it’s not icy cold, but it’s by NO means warm.

If you have north-facing light, you will find Argos looking a bit cooler, compounded by that cold northern light. However, Argos can be a GORGEOUS balance to the warmth of south-facing or afternoon western light!

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?

 

WHAT’S THE LRV OF ARGOS?

Argos has an LRV of 51. This puts it in the light-medium range. At this depth, it won’t wash out as much as a lighter color can in bright light, but it isn’t so dark that it will weigh the average room down.

Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.

 

WHAT UNDERTONES ARE IN ARGOS?

As with every shade of gray, Argos has undertones and is far from being a ‘neutral, true shade.’ This gorgeous stormy shade of gray has a mix of blue and green undertones that can shift depending on their surroundings and exposure.

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Argos…

 

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH ARGOS?

The best white paint color for Argos depends on the look you’re going for.

• Sherwin Williams Pure White could be quite pretty if you want a slightly softer approach.
• If you want a cleaner, crisp contrast, try Sherwin Williams High Reflective White.

SHOULD I Paint My Wood Cabinets White? A QUESTIONNAIRE

The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams

 

IS ARGOS A GOOD EXTERIOR COLOR?

Argos could be a stunning color for your exterior stucco or siding, as it suits many of today’s most popular asphalt roofs. If you have warm-toned stone or brick, it will contrast it without looking too colorful.

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

 

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO ARGOS?

You won’t find an exact match for ANY color between brands—you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths. However, some brands have similar intentions but different approaches.

• Benjamin Moore Misted Green (more color)
• Benjamin Moore Iced Marble (closest)

The best way to choose a paint color (and understand it) is to compare it to others…

Analytical Gray  | Argos | Sensible Hue | Amazing Gray | Magnetic Gray | Wales Gray

And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands (i.e., getting BM to make an SW paint color), you might want to read THIS first.

 

WHAT COLORS GO WITH ARGOS?

Argos is pretty flexible regarding its paint partners, with options such as…

• some light and light-medium depth gray and greige paint colors
• soft off-white paint colors in the neutral range
• muted, gentle, neutral paint colors such as Sherwin Williams White Duck
• stronger, darker grays with blue-green undertones

READ MORE

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Silverplate

The Best Medium-Depth Stone-Inspired Greige, Taupe, & Beige Colors

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray

NEED HELP?

Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!

Originally written in 2020, updated in 2024