The MOST POPULAR Gray & Greige Paint Colours
Partner post: The 9 Best Benjamin Moore Best Gray Paint Colours
For those wanting to update their home, gray and greige are definitely two of the most popular choices. But with the THOUSANDS of colours out there, where do you even BEGIN?
Right here.
I’ve decided to touch on some of my favourite gray and greige paint colours from Sherwin Williams, along with some gorgeous photos from my E-Design clients for visual support. These colours should get you WELL on your way to the best paint colour for you and your home!
1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY SW 7015
Whether you’re preparing your home for sale or living in it, Repose Gray is a popular warm gray paint color. Repose Gray is a light gray that has SUPER subtle brown undertones with a wee dab of violet but can be VERY unreliable with it. There’s not enough brown to qualify it as a greige, but enough to add softness and stop it from falling icy cold.
With an LRV of 60, Repose Gray is a light color, but a ‘heavy light’, as it doesn’t have the fresh, bright feeling you’d expect in a typical light paint color. It will hold itself nicely in a well-lit room, brightening up, but can look a bit drab in a darker, shadowed space.
However, Repose Gray isn’t the most PREDICTABLE gray and you’ll want to read its colour review to learn more. You can also see it in The 3 Ninjas of the Gray World.
Check out my video review of this stunning colour too!
Paint Colour Review: All About Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BIG CHILL SW 7648
Big Chill is one of my FAVE slightly cool grays. It has a wink of a stormy blue undertone, but it’s not an icy cold colour – it’s calmer than that. Compared to the EVER popular Benjamin Moore Gray Owl, Big Chill has far less green-blue undertone, making it look more like a ‘typical’ gray.
The LRV of Big Chill is 62, so it’s classified as a light colour. It’s the PERFECT depth when you want a colour that holds itself well in slightly darker areas (as shown below) but doesn’t wash out completely on well-lit walls. (Read all about LRV)
Colour Review Sherwin Williams Big Chill
3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANEW GRAY SW 7030
Anew Gray is a light-medium depth greige. Unlike its lighter version, Agreeable Gray (which we’ll look at shortly), Anew Gray settles quite nicely between gray and beige, whereas Agreeable often caters to 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. And while Anew Gray isn’t as warm as beige and tan, its subtle warmth takes a more passive approach that adds a pretty softness to any room.
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Anew Gray
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS TINSMITH SW 7657
Tinsmith is a light-medium gray with cool, but not icy cold undertones that can flex slightly blue (sometimes SLIGHTLY blue-green). Check out the shift when the light’s turned on/off…
Tinsmith has an LRV of 57, so it’s tucked nicely in the light-medium range. If you want a bit LESS undertone, check out Sherwin Williams Sweater Weather.
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Tinsmith
5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLONNADE GRAY SW 7641
Colonnade Gray is one of my FAVES and in fact, I used it in our last home. Hated the home; loved the colour!
Colonnade Gray has an LRV of 53, so it’s firmly in the light-medium range. This means it could be a touch dark for a dark room or hallway. As for undertones, Colonnade lightly favours green, but can EASILY flash into any of the cool undertones.
The Difference Between Revere Pewter and Colonnade Gray
Sherwin Williams Paint Colour Review of Colonnade Gray
6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SILVERPLATE SW 7649
Silverplate is a slightly cool gray that hits JUST the spot when you’re looking for a gray that isn’t too ‘this’ or too ‘that’.
With an LRV of 53, Silverplate might be a bit heavy for a dark room, but looks sharp, clean and inviting in a reasonably well-lit room, especially with cool bulbs. Silverplate is similar to Tinsmith, but a bit stormier looking and slightly more likely to flash blue-green (but favours blue).
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Silverplate
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out shortly to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK. Samplize offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a few reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on the location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAVESTONE SW 7642
Pavestone is a soft, warm gray-greige that easily picks up a soft, subtle green undertone, especially on exteriors.
Kylie M E-Design
With an LRV of 32, Pavestone might be a bit much for a north-facing or dark, shadowed room. However, in a well-lit space, it’s a stunning, almost medium-toned neutral with an organic-looking, earth-toned base.
Click HERE or on the above image to see available packages!
8. SHERWIN WILIAMS DORIAN GRAY SW 7017
Dorian Gray is one of the more popular grays with a bit more depth/value. While more traditional grays lean to the cool blue or green side, Dorian Gray has a weeee willy wink of warmth in it, offering a softer, more subtle look. While it CAN pick up a touch of green, it generally sits in the violet end of the undertones, but even then, they’re SUBTLE.
Dorian Gray is a beautiful choice for any reasonably well-lit room. With an LRV of 39, it’s a medium-toned paint colour, but when paired with the right white, the contrast is wicked gorgeous! If you’re looking for something DARKER, check out this blog post.
FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, I’D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE!
9. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WORLDLY GRAY SW 7043
Worldly Gray is a beautiful warm grey-greige with a subtle green undertone.
Worldly Gray is the lighter version of Amazing Gray. Both colours can pick up a subtle green undertone, so if you’re sensitive to green (even on the most PASSIVE scale) you may want to read about #10 instead.
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray
10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY SW 7029
While Worldly Gray and Agreeable Gray are very similar to each other, they aren’t quite the same. Both are trying to sneak into the ‘greige’ world as they have far more beige in them than the average gray, however, Agreeable Gray has slightly more flexible undertones (while only MILDLY favouring green). On the other hand, Worldly Gray humours just a BIT more green, making it more greige looking. That being said, both can EASILY pick up any of the three cool undertones given the right conditions.
This next image shows my client’s BEFORE photo. Notice how Agreeable Gray looks a touch green compared to the violet undertones in the flooring. I’m eagerly awaiting the AFTER photo with her new and improved paint colour choice!
Agreeable Gray looks STUNNING on these painted kitchen cabinets…
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
11. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ON THE ROCKS SW 7671
On the Rocks is a popular gray paint colour not just because of its depth, but because of its flexible violet undertones. While some grays come across as icy cold, On the Rocks has a softness to it that doesn’t necessarily make it warm, but it’s nowhere near an icy cold look.
On the Rocks has an LRV of 62, putting it RIGHT in my happy place as it relates to paint colour depth.
FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams On the Rocks
12. SHERWIN WILLIAMS DOVETAIL SW 7018
If you’re looking for a gray paint colour with a bit more depth, whether it’s for your walls, cabinets or exterior, Dovetail is one of the BEST. With its super passive undertones, Dovetail is one of the go-to charcoal gray paint colours.
Dovetail with Repose Gray on the walls
And because it’s always nice to see some comparisons…
FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Dovetail
Get your SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK SAMPLES of Kylie M’s recommended grays and greiges.
Before we finish our time together, I want to touch on a few COMMON questions…
DO GRAY & GREIGE GO TOGETHER?
Yes, gray and greige do 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 COLOUR?
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray is one of the best greige-taupe paint colours. However, depending on your PERCEPTION of what a greige really is, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray also takes a run at the title!
ARE GREIGE & GRAY STILL POPULAR PAINT COLOURS?
Every colour has its place. Generally speaking, grays are not as trendy as they have been, and greiges and taupes are becoming more popular due to their WARMTH. At some point, this scale will tip us RIGHT into beige, but we’re not there quite yet!
IS GREIGE REALLY JUST A VERSION OF WARM GRAY?
Some greiges can definitely pass as warm grays, including top colours like Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray and Worldly Gray. However, we’re talking about two different groups – warm grays and greiges. Greiges are WARMER THAN warm grays and have their own category.
READ MORE
The 12 Best WHOLE HOME Gray & Greige Paint Colours
How to PROPERLY Sample Paint Colours
The 8 Best WARM NEUTRAL WHOLE HOME Paint Colours
6 Budget-Friendly Home Update Ideas
The Best Benjamin Moore Gray Paint Colours
The 4 Best Warm Gray Paint Colours
NEED HELP?
Check out my affordable E-Design and Color Consultation
Chat soon,
ORIGINALLY POSTED IN 2019, AWESOME UPDATED IN MID 2022
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
Author
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
Author
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.
Author
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…
Author
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?