3 Flexible Grays – When You Just Can’t Choose an Undertone

If you’ve ever had to choose a gray paint colour, you’ll know how mind-numbing it can be. Just when you think you’ve found the perfect gray, it flashes up some crazy undertone and before you know it, you’re running to the wine fridge for reinforcements.

That’s why today, rather than focusing on grays with specific undertones (because you know you can’t get away from them), I want to share with you 3 of the MOST FLEXIBLE gray paint colours! Can’t decide on an undertone? Perfect, NEITHER CAN THEY!

Now, if you’ve done your research, you’ll know all about grays 3 main undertones – blue, green and purple. And while I always get E-design clients asking for a ‘gray with no undertones‘ – sadly, it’s a no-go. Grays have undertones – capiche?

However, that also doesn’t mean you have to commit to one major undertone, in fact, you might find that one of these ninja masters hits the spot as it won’t leave you 100% committed to any one undertone, but actually flexes itself on a room-by-room basis!

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray SW 7015

Repose Gray is the MOST flexible gray paint colour in my experience. I love it and curse it ALL in the same mouth full of wine sentence.

Repose Gray is in the light range, but I find it to be a ‘heavier’ light, not a fresh and bright one.

In the above photo with the tall tile fireplace, look at how Repose looks on the left and right. Cool and slightly green on the left and muted and softer on the right. I mean really, ANY colour will do this kind of thing with natural and artificial lights, but some colours are trickier because their undertones can shift more, not just the depth.

• Repose Gray has an LRV of 58
• It’s a warm gray that slightly favours a purple undertone, however, I’ve also seen it flash slightly green and slightly blue (more often green)
• Repose Gray is the most popular of the 3 on this page
• If you were to lighten Repose by 25% it would get closer to my magical LRV number for almost any room
• Need more warmth? Check out SW Agreeable Gray

Read more: Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

Benjamin Moore Shoreline 1471

Not to be confused with BM Shore Line (same name but with a space) – which is most definitely NOT a flexible gray, it’s a fugly taupe, Shoreline is a light, barely warm gray that seems like it SHOULD lean into a vague green, however, more often than not, I see it grab either purple or even a wink of blue – let’s just say that like me on a Friday nite – it’s open to suggestions.

• Shoreline has an LRV of almost 69
• Shoreline is the lightest and freshest of the options on this page
• It can easily grab ANY of the 3 cool undertones and is easily influenced by the exposure of the room, lighting and furnishings
• As the colour strip of Shoreline darkens it goes considerably into the green undertones, but don’t let that fool you, Shoreline is more likely to flash blue-purple
• Don’t like purple? Check out BM Gray Owl

Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray SW 7641

Colonnade Gray (also spelt Collonade Gray…by me) is the warmest of the bunch. It’s a warm gray that is TRYING to be greige, but it just doesn’t quite get there.

Colonnade also favours a vague green undertone, however, this can entirely disappear, to be replaced by a soft vague blue and more rarely a cool purple – which is what can give it an overall ‘neutral gray’ appearance, ESPECIALLY in a north-facing room.

In the above photo, look at Colonnade on the far left. Soft, stormy and muted and turning greenish down the hallway. Then look above the kitchen – fresh and clean!

• Colonnade Gray has an LRV of 53. Don’t know what LRV is? Read up, buttercup
• Colonnade will FAVOUR green, but don’t be surprised to see blue or purple
• If you lighten Collonade Gray by 25%, the green all but disappears

Read more: Paint Colour Review Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray

So there you have. Rather than CHOOSING a green, blue or purple undertone – why not have the potential to hit all 3! Now, that isn’t to say that these colours will hit ALL 3 in every room/home, it’s more about the versatility they have to humour spaces that are maybe a bit trickier to choose for. They have a bit more flexibility, which Tim said he’d also like me to work on.

Not sure which colour is best for you? Need help?

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Chat soon,