Touch of Grey SW 9549: LRV, Undertones and a Little More

Sherwin Williams newest line of paint colors has me SUPER excited. However, being newer colors, I don’t have any E-Design clients who’ve used them yet (I CAN’T WAIT!).

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In order to show you RELATEABLE & REAL homes, I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality pics I need, but DEFINITELY have SUPER HELPFUL INFO to help you on your way!

If you end up using one of these new colors and find my reviews helpful, please send photos so others can see how they look!

PLEASE NOTE: Sherwin William Sweater Weather is in the DESIGNER EDITION and can only be made in Sherwin Williams Emerald paint, no other lines.

What type of paint color is Touch of Grey? Is it warm or cool?

Touch of Grey isn’t a warm gray, but it’s also not icy cold either. It’s only slightly COOL with an almost stormy look to it.

If you have north-facing light, you can expect this color to look much cooler and for its undertones to increase slightly. If you have south-facing or warm western afternoon sunshine, Touch of Grey will soften up a bit without looking like a traditional warm gray.

What’s the LRV of Touch of Grey?

I’m SO EXCITED because not only does Touch of Grey have gorgeous soft undertones (up next), it also has an ideal LRV of 62. This LRV puts it in the light range.

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

What are its undertones? Will it look violet, blue, green or like a TRUE gray?

Like EVERY gray paint color, Touch of Grey has undertones – soft, subtle violet ones. They aren’t even HALF as strong as Sherwin Williams Grayish but are just a BIT cleaner, less stormy looking and SLIGHTLY more obvious than On the Rocks.

Here’s the SLIGHTLY more muted On the Rocks…

What’s the best way to sample a paint color?

Like with every paint color, I highly recommend using SAMPLIZE. Samplize is a peel & stick paint sample that you can easily move around your room for over HALF THE COST of traditional sample pots – and they deliver right to your front door!

Here’s a link to the SAMPLIZE site if you’re curious!

What’s the best white paint color for my trim or cabinets?

If you’re using Touch of Grey on your walls, look for a white that’s soft or clean – nothing too creamy or warm.

Sherwin Williams Pure White
Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

Is this a good color for my home’s exterior?

Touch of Grey could be gorgeous on an exterior, as long as your stone, brickwork and roof can handle a color with this violet undertone. Also, with an LRV of 62, expect it to look a bit more like an off-white on your exterior, ESPECIALLY if you get reasonable natural light shining on your home!

What other Sherwin Williams colors are similar to Touch of Grey?

Sherwin Williams Mercurial. This is VERY similar to Touch of Gray, just a wink darker and a touch warmer.
Sherwin Williams On the Rocks. As mentioned above, Touch of Grey is just a bit cleaner/has slightly more undertone than On the Rocks. It’s also a bit less likely to flash violet-blue.
Sherwin Williams Big Chill. If you’re not so sure about that soft violet undertone, you might prefer the subtle blue in Big Chill – a similar idea, shifted undertones.

What Benjamin Moore paint colors are the same as or similar?

Every color has its own particular nuances and there will be NO perfect match – you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature and values. If you prefer to use Benjamin Moore paint, you could check out colors with SIMILAR approaches…

The closest I could find was Benjamin Moore Nimbus, which has a violet undertone but is WARMER than Touch of Grey.
Benjamin Moore Cement Gray is in the ballpark but is cooler looking and the undertone comes up even more.

And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands, you might want to read THIS first.

What type of paint colors look good with Touch of Grey?

Oh, there’s a TON of colors that work well with Touch of Grey and here are a few to get you started…

gray-blues could be STUNNING with Touch of Grey, especially those with an LRV of approx. 55 or lower
some green-gray blends, especially a color like Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
other comparably cool, stormy grays with slightly darker values and undertones, ie: Sherwin Williams Tinsmith
Touch of Grey will be FUSSY with beige, tan and cream paint colors

Not sure if Touch of Grey is right for you? Want a color that’s a bit warmer or cooler? I’ve got more!

SHERWIN WILLIAMS SWEATER WEATHER

SHERWIN WILLIAMS MERCURIAL