8 Best Sherwin Williams Greige Paint Colors: Light to Medium
With trends shifted firmly away from gray and into warmer shades, it’s easy to get lost in a world of beige. Which is why this lil’ Ginger is grateful for greige.
Not as cool as gray nor as warm as beige and cream, greige paint colors are awesome happy mediums, hovering in the ample bosom between gray and beige. This makes them a great option for those who are over gray but not fans of the overly warm end of things.
But before we dive in, let’s do a little clarification so we’re all speaking the same colorful language (of which I have plenty)…
GREIGE: Not as warm as beige-tan, not as cool as gray. Greiges tend to appear with a slight or obvious green hue.
TAUPE: Not as warm as beige-tan or as cool as gray. Taupes tend to appear with a slight or strong purple-pink undertone.
If you find a greige or taupe that doesn’t commit to a particular hue, it can flex either way more easily depending on the room’s exposure, lighting, etc. (commitment gives you a stronger chance of a particular hue popping up and NOT the other).
WARM GRAY: Warm grays are warmer than traditional grays. However, even with a green or purple-pink undertone, they aren’t warm enough to be greige or taupe.
However, depending on how warm a gray is, it can wink at greige (or taupe), ESPECIALLY in a room with south-facing light or western afternoon sunshine. So, to cover the bases, a few of these colors might dabble in both worlds!
1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANALYTICAL GRAY 7051
Analytical Gray is one of my favorite greiges because it really commits to its job. Many greiges offer a more passive wink at green, not Analytical Gray. This gorgeous greige has the perfect muddy approach with a noticeable but not remotely overwhelming green hue.
BTW, the ‘y’ in Analytical Gray is super important, as without it, you’re in for a long night. And yes, that is my level of maturity.
Sherwin Williams Argos | Sensible Hue | Amazing Gray (coming up shortly) | Magnetic Gray | Wales Gray
Analytical Gray has an LRV of 47, making it a light-medium depth paint color. Compare it to a few of the lighter, muted shades on this page, including Worldly Gray, Anew Gray, and Agreeable Gray, to see which commitment to depth and undertone you prefer!
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WORLDLY GRAY 7043
Worldly Gray is a beautiful, warm, greige-taupe with vague undertones, at best. This organic, nature-inspired approach to warm neutrals offers flexibility with undertones.
If the previously mentioned, Analytical Gray is a bit too green, Worldly Gray (or the upcoming Agreeable Gray) could be the ticket.
Worldly Gray is like a lighter version of Amazing Gray (coming up shortly). Sure, both colors could flash a subtle green undertone in some environments. Crazy green? Nah. But if you’re REALLY worried about green, you might swing into the wild world of taupe paint colors instead.
3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY SW 7029
Agreeable Gray is well-known as a good ‘whole home’ color as it tends to humor a wide range of finishes and undertones, even if they aren’t a 100% match.
In fact, Agreeable Gray is one of Sherwin Williams top selling colors.
Agreeable Gray looks STUNNING on these painted kitchen cabinets (as far as light cabinet colors go, it’s one of my favorites)…
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Check out my CURATED GREIGE MIX BUNDLE if you want the best comparables to Agreeable Gray!
If you’re seriously considering Agreeable Gray, comparing it to similar shades is the best way to find the perfect color for your home.
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANEW GRAY 7030
Anew Gray is a light-medium depth greige-taupe. Unlike its lighter version, Agreeable Gray (which we’ll look at shortly), Anew Gray settles quite nicely between gray and beige, whereas Agreeable Gray often leans more obviously toward gray.
With its LRV of 47, Anew Gray will add depth and personality to a room without weighing it down, AS LONG AS your room has adequate natural or interior lighting. While Anew Gray isn’t as warm as beige and tan, its subtle warmth takes a more passive approach and adds a pretty softness to most rooms.
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Anew Gray
5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AMAZING GRAY 7044
Amazing Gray is amazeballs. This glorious shade of greige can flash a wee green undertone at you, but it’s darn subtle. Just look at the earthy, organic goodness on these walls…
Color Review of Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray
Amazing Gray can also be great for an exterior, particularly on homes with brick, as many mortars work well with this undertone and warmth. Amazing Gray is also great with a wide range of wood finishes, though I might be careful with lighter, pink-stained woods.
If Amazing Gray isn’t grabbing the green undertone you want (which won’t be surprising), check out the previously mentioned Analytical Gray or Sherwin Williams Jogging Path, shown below (the latter commits to more green, fo sho)…
6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS INTELLECTUAL GRAY 7045
Intellectual Gray has an LRV of 36, which makes it a medium-depth color. It’s not on the darker end of the scale – it still has some levity compared to darker shades, but compared to light colors, it has a great degree of body.
This depth makes it more popular on kitchen cabinets and even some accent walls.
I love to start with this range (LRV/depth) when painting cabinets, as it opens up a world of options for wall color partners. It’s also great on an exterior with a ton of natural light, as it won’t wash out as much as lighter shades.
If you’re dabbling in greige and are unsure about its undertone, compare Intellectual Gray to Sherwin Williams Mega Greige. It isn’t REALLY ‘mega’ as it’s not committed to its undertones; it hovers between the greige and taupe worlds.
Sherwin Williams Intellectual Gray Color Review
7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS FELTED WOOL 9171
If you’re looking for a greige with a bit more meat on its bones without going too far, Felted Wool is ready to wrap you up in its cozy arms! This particular greige has an LRV of 28, placing it smack dab in the middle of the medium depths.
Felted Wool isn’t just beautiful on walls; it’s gorgeous on kitchen cabinets. I love it because off-white and light-depth cabinets can be hard to find coordinating wall colors. Not Felted Wool. With its lower LRV, it’s much easier to integrate into a full, well-balanced palette.
If you’re unsure whether Felted Wool has too much undertone, compare it to the lovely Sherwin Williams Keystone Gray, which is more of a greige-taupe that doesn’t commit hard one way or the other (green or purple). It also picks up more warmth without dipping right into beige-brown.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Felted Wool…
8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS FAWN BRINDLE 7640
Fawn Brindle could hit the spot if you want a greige that commits a bit more to warmth. This greige is warmer than the others, with a bit more beige-brown in its backdrop and that beautiful, but notable green hue.
Like many greiges, it can take on more gray with the right (or wrong) exposure and interior light, but don’t mind that too much, as its roots are still hardcore greige. Thanks to its LRV of 36, it’s also less likely to wash out on a well-lit exterior or interior wall.
If you want a more subtle, maybe even grayer look, compare Fawn Brindle to Sherwin Williams Graystone.
Color Review of Sherwin Williams Fawn Brindle
Wanna go even deeper (that’s what she said)?
Sherwin Williams Anonymous is badass and beautiful – gorgeous on cabinets, exteriors, accent walls, and more!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS…
Before we finish our time together, I want to touch on a few questions I get asked in my comment section, Kylie M YouTube, and Instagram…
DO GRAY & GREIGE GO TOGETHER?
Yes, gray and greige go together, but the gray shouldn’t be LIGHTER than the greige, or the combo can look off. Or, turning that around, the greige should be lighter than the gray.
WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR GREIGE PAINT COLOR?
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray is one of the best greige-taupe paint colors. However, depending on your PERCEPTION of what a greige is, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray also takes a run at the title. This said, Edgecomb Gray takes a FAR different approach to greige than any of the shades on this page…it’s a ninja.
ARE GREIGE & GRAY STILL POPULAR PAINT COLORS?
Every color has its place. Grays are no longer trendy (although a well-chosen gray that suits its space is always at home), and greiges and taupes are far more popular thanks to their warmth. However, paint color trends have tipped even further toward modern beiges and tan, which, according to my research, are beating out the greiges and taupes of last year.
IS GREIGE JUST A VERSION OF WARM GRAY?
Kind of, yes – a very, very warm gray. Some greiges can pass as warm grays, including top colors like Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray and Worldly Gray. On the other hand, many grays can look greige, including Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray. However, we’re talking about two different groups – warm grays and greiges.
Greiges are warmer than warm grays and have their own category.
QUICK RECAP
- Greiges can look neutral, but many flash a green undertone.
- Greiges are always warm, even ones that seem cool compared to a warmer color like beige.
- The most popular greiges include Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray, Anew Gray, and Worldly Gray.
- Greige undertones can vary depending on a room’s exposure, interior lighting, and surrounding finishes (as well as perception!)
READ MORE
The Best WHOLE HOME Taupe & Greige Paint Colors
The Best Light Taupe & Greige Paint Colors
Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s E-Design and Color Consultation
ORIGINALLY POSTED IN 2019, AWESOMELY UPDATED FOR FRESH CONTENT AND IMAGES IN 2026
Hi Kylie,
What is a SW or BM gray color that is similar to First Star (cool, but not icy cold – as you wrote) that has an LRV a little bit lower – mid 60s? It is for a north/east bathroom.
Although can you even notice that much of a change or do I need to drop to low 60s?
Thanks
Andrea
Hi Andrea, I wonder if you might like SW Big Chill a bit more, perhaps darkened by 25%? I’d notice the difference!
Im sick – my painter painted my island Amazing Gray and during the day it has a blue/violet tone to it. Have you ever seen this? My sample did NOT do this so Im sick about it.
Thanks
Oh dear. Did he use Sherwin Williams paint? If not, it could simply be the colour match. All it takes is for undertones to be slightly off and things go wonky. I’ve even had SW mix things up on me. I have Revere Pewter on my cabinets, which is certainly SIMILAR, and I don’t have blue/purple in site! They get hit with a bit of south and a bit of north-facing light.
My only other thought would be bulbs – are you using daylight or cold bulbs?
What is the lightest true greige paint color with an LRV of 64 or lighter with no weird undertones just a true neutral gray beige.
Hi Wendy, when it comes to that, it’s ALL about perception. Some would say BM Edgecomb Gray, others would say it’s too warm and would go to SW Agreeable Gray. Both have MORE passive undertones than many other greige paint colours 🙂
I LOVE your insights on color and subtle undertones and what lighting does to paint. I really need a post about grey paints that are pretty in a dark room that gets only shadowed light (southern-facing-with-big-pine-trees-blocking-the-sun kind of light.) You tend to mention the grey’s that look great in a well lit room, but don’t have much positive to say about grey in a “natural-light challenged “ space. I know the real solution is to cut down the neighbor’s trees, but…
Hi Lisa! Well…it’s a tough one. Grays can be tough in a shaded room that isn’t super well-lit. If you look at slightly cleaner ones vs warmer ones it could help a bit. I mean, they are soft grays, but aren’t overly WARM GRAYS, so colours like SW Big Chill and On the Rocks. It’s tough though and you’ll need some interior lighting and clean white trim to help them out!
What about a light gray with a green tone. I HATE PURPLE! I was thinking I would paint this room Neutral Ground because it is my go-to neutral but I MAY be able to handle a light greenish gray
Hi Kylie
I have painted my West facing Living room, kitchen, Dinning room in Agreable gray and love it. I’m considering getting rid of the white trim, what are your thoughts on a tone on time look? I would like a complimentary color maybe pavestone??
Kylie, I’m trying to transition from a beige house to more of a gray. I think I can get away with using Agreeable Gray or Collonade Gray in my living room. The problem is going to be my kitchen. ALL of my tile, backsplash, and granite are tan. I had wanted to use the same paint color throughout the whole house, but as you mentioned, my kitchen tile looks dirty next to such a fresh gray color. I have somewhat of an open concept because the walls are open at the top in some places there is no distinct stopping point for paint. I can change to a different color for the kitchen, sunroom, and dining room, but they are all visible from the living room. Do you have any suggestions for a more brown color that would compliment Agreeable Gray or Collonade Gray and help my kitchen not look dirty in the process?
What wall color would you pair with dovetail cabinets? This is for an open concept home. Thank you!
Hey Felicia, what matters just as much are the countertop/backsplash/flooring and any fireplace stone – Dovetail is just part of the equation!
Hi Kylie,
Love your information!
In an open concept with tons of natural light, is Felted Wool too dark for all of the walls?