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
Do you have a recommendation or 2 for grays that go with dark wood trim and baseboards (modern straight edges and corners in a deep cherry wood color)? I’m having difficulty finding the right color for our living room and den. Thanks!
Hi Jenn! I’ve started referring most questions like yours to my Online Consulting so that I can get photos of your space and give you the best solutions possible! Your particular questions (2 grays) would be $40. With my recommendations I include 3 paint colours as well as explanations so you can understand how they might act in your home. If this interests you at all here is the link… https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
Thank you for asking!
~Kylie
LOVE this! I love how you described the grays so perfectly. This is so incredibly helpful. Thank you!
Great review of grays. In my new house focusing on cool colors, I have used Repose gray with SW Pure white trim and I love it. My son wants to use Mindful Gray in their main living/kitchen area which gets a good amount of natural light and Repose gray in halls with less light. What is the best trim color for both? Unfortunately their blinds are more of an off-white color. Thanks
Hi, I’m so glad you love these gray colours too! Now of course Eider White is the lighter version of these colours, but it usually isn’t quite light enough for trims. One idea is to have Eider White reduced by 25-50% (lightened) so that it’s the ‘same colour’ only lighter. Another off-white that I like is actually Benjamin Moore White Dove (which SW should be able to colour match quite well). A slightly warmer, but not too yellow option is SW Creamy (but keep in mind it is warmer than the above 2 options).
I hope that helps, thanks for visiting my lil’ blog!
~Kylie
Do you know anything about functional gray? Undertones? If it looks good with dark wood bedroom furniture? With cherry in it? Thank you!! I just can’t find much on functional gray but the samples looks nice
Where do you find your art?!? I love the horse picture and the huge bicycle picture you have on another post that covers a book case.
Thank you for all your articles. They truly help and your description of light was awesome! So in this article you talk about greys being more muddy, do you have a list of more clear colored greys?
Hi Stephanie! Good question and I actually I was just at a clients home today, taking some photos of a beautiful, more ‘clear/clean’ gray (which usually tend to be more blue or purple toned). I’m going to be starting a blog post on that topic today, stay tuned 🙂
~Kylie
Like your video on agreeable gray. You talk about a clean white for trim. Which white is it?
Thanks
Paul
Good question Paul, it’s actually just ‘Benjamin Moore White’ – as white as it gets!
Good article – very helpful. We are building and have Kitchen cabinets and Great Room built ins in Amazing Gray and a Kitchen Island in Urbane Bronze. We are planning to use Worldly Gray as our main wall color (Great Room, halls, etc.) Will this provide enough contrast so that the Great Room built ins are not “lost”.
Thank you so much for this post. I previously failed miserably with gray for my house. We recently bought a new home and I read and studied your posts regarding grays. I was terrified of making another gray mistake. With much stress and prayer lol I chose worldly gray for all main living areas, amazing gray for my sons room and my daughter chose repose gray for her room. I’m in love. It looks beautiful. Your understanding of color is amazing. Thank you!!!!
What’s your opinion for nice crisp grey that doesn’t really have a blue undertone. I am wanting to paint our open concept living room /kitchen that doesn’t have much natural light and I don’t want it to be to dark! Help! 🙂
Hi Michelle, WEEEELLLLL, a nice crisp gray generally does have blue in it…I would think your BEST bet for a crisp gray that is as neutral as possible would be SW Big Chill. Depending on your exposure and interior bulbs it might hit the spot but it can pull a weee wink blue – nature of the beast!
~Kylie
Kylie thank you so much for this article! It helped us tremendously! We tested so many greiges in our small north facing family room (with patio doors), and finally decided on Agreeable Gray! We love it! It definitely reads a touch green at times but we felt that was preferable to the mauve undertones of Collingwood or beige of Edgecomb. Cheers!
I have really been enjoying your blog and I love gray paint and am excited to paint my living room/dining room gray. I typically prefer the cooler grays but I have a bluish/gray couch from the Shelter collection, West Elm. I am thinking something along the lines of Agreeable Gray would look a little better on the walls than a cool gray. Is there anyway you would be able to steer me in the right direction? Thank you!!
Hi Ashley, yes that might work for you! I’ve had Agreeable Gray lean ‘considerably’ more gray many times, even though it’s a greige type of colour, so it could hit the spot!
Hello and thanks for your blog. I have a lot of beige in my tile and accessories but am wanting a more modern grayish paint. Right now I am using Nantucket Gray in my kitchen and living rooms and Manchester Tan in the rest of the house. So I am looking for a greige I guess that looks great with gray or beige and brown things…. And wondering what you think of Versitile Gray from SW?
Thanks
Hi Rebecca, you might find Versatile gray a touch too purple toned. Maybe check out Dorian Gray???
I really enjoyed reading your blog, lots of wonderful information on gray paint.
We have a large great room that we have been considering painting worldly gray at 50% reduction as we don’t want it too dark, just a bit of color on the walls vs keeping them white. Our great room faces east and we get a lot of light from sunrise through 4pm. We have white shutters, gray sectional with lots of colors of blue for the throw pills, and a mix of wood and light tile floors. I just read your post above about Light French Gray, which do you prefer? Thank you, Lisa
Hi Lisa! Well Light French Gray and a 50% reduced Worldly Gray would just be SO different from each other. From the sounds of it, I think that something like Agreeable Gray lightened could work. It’s REALLY similar to Worldly Gray, but Worldly can pick up a weeee wink of green and is a bare touch warmer.
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
Have you looked at SW Conservative gray, I like green hue in it. Will it be washed out in a room with North/East and South window?
Hi Kylie,
In my area, the Parade of Homes color of choice seem to be SW Knitting Needles. I fell in love but in my house it pulls lavender. My 2 story great room does happen to be North facing, however, I’m sure some part of those homes are northern facing and I didn’t see any lavender at all. Have you tried this color in any of your homes? Do you have an opinion on undertones for this color? It seems that when I was painting amazing gray in my half bath it also looked lavender until I was done so… I will be happy to do a paid consult, but wondering about your take on this color in general. Thank you!!!
Hi Tracy! Not surprising, Knitting Needles can TOTALLY do that, I would think even more so in the northern facing spaces. Sometimes it’s relative to what it’s with as well, for example of your trim is a warm white, not a clean white or if you have warm toned woods, this could encourage it along. I find that in north facing spaces it can be HARD to get grays to NOT pick up a touch of purple and some people are more sensitive to it than others. Now Amazing Gray could…a bit…but if anything it’s a greige with a very vague green undertone, so I’m glad you stuck it out! However, with Knitting Needles it IS lavender than you’re seeing. For a subtle shift, check out SW Silverplate which is absolutely stunning. Still a cool gray, but it should save you from the purple!
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
This was sooo helpful. We currently have inset accent walls painted in Mega Greige and looking for a lighter greige (lighter than Perfect Greige) for the whole great room area. While we like gray, our furniture is light beige and kitchen is in the beige family as well and afraid something too gray will not match. My husband doesn’t like colors that read too green or purple (room does not have a lot of light). What are your thoughts on Collanade, Useful, Agreeable and City Loft? Thanks!
Hi Michelle, thank you for the note! When it comes to more detailed questions where it helps to see photos, I do need to refer to my e-design. I try to give as much info as I can via my blog and if that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time for e-design. If it helps, of those, Agreeable is the only one that I would do with Mega Greige 🙂 https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
I am in love with the grays, and I am getting more insight from your site than anywhere! Thank you!
My dilemma is that in my home office, I am doing a deep, yet bright sapphire accent wall. My furniture is classic dark cherry colored and black (stuck with it). All the pictures with the beautiful grays I see are showing lighter wood or whites. Any suggestions on a good gray for this situation? With the blue accent wall I’m scared a blue undertone would be too much, but I don’t want a gray feeling cold like cement. No Browns anywhere in the room, accent colors are aqua and coral. Area rug and wall accents are black/white . Any suggestions appreciated! I spent 12 hours a day in this room, so I know I’m overthinking it LOL
Hi Chris, thanks for the note! When it comes to personal questions i do need to refer to my E-design. This way I can look at your photos/questionnaire and come up with options that actually make sense! I try to give as much complimentary info as I can on my blog and if that doesn’t work, then it might be time for a personal touch! If that interests you, the link is here… https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/product-category/interior-paint-colors/
Chat soon!
~Kylie
Hi! Just discovered your work, love your insight!
Can you advise, my house is painted one color, not sure the color, a builder’s tan with all almond color trim and doors etc. (Yuk, I prefer white) but oh well. So the floors and cabinets are a warm maple, except for some ivory carpet in the great room. I’m thinking of repainting, not sure what to use, and our living space is mostly North facing, not a lot of natural light except I the sun room. Was thinking of going for an accent wall around the fireplace because that small wall is super shadowed with two Windows, on either side of fireplace. I love the light tan /beige colors, but am open to a greige accent wall.
What do you think?
Hi Brenda, thank you for your note! When it comes to personal questions I do need to refer to my E-design! I try to give as much helpful, complimentary info on my blog and if that doesn’t work, it might be time for a closer look! If that interests you, the link is here… https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/product-category/interior-paint-colors/
Chat soon!
~Kylie
Which looks better with Comfort Gray–Accessible Beige or Agreeable Gray? I’m also thinking of adding in some navy blue in the room, and I think AB would look better with that. Thoughts?
Hi Emily, both would be okay, but I might lighten both by 25% to shift the contrast a bit. And they would BOTH be great with navy, I’ve seen AG go considerably gray in some rooms, meaning it’s a natural partner to navy (north facing rooms particularly).