The Top 4 Warm Gray Paint Colours that are ALMOST Greige
Partner post: How to Make Gray Feel Warmer
Warm gray. The two words are opposite each other, meaning when they’re mixed they should create the perfect happy medium – but they don’t. Gray is not a traditionally warm colour and I don’t want you to confuse the word ‘warm’ with the look and feel of actual warmth. A warm gray is still gray, even if it has warm roots.
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I come across this a lot with my online clients who request a ‘warm gray’, hoping for something softer and cosier than the average blue, green or purple-toned gray. And sure, there are warmER grays, particularly in comparison to cool grays, but your room will not be typically ‘warm’ looking (compared to actual warm paint colours).
It’s important to recognize that gray itself is not a warm colour – don’t confuse the words warm gray with the look and feel of actual ‘warmth’.
Now, as you add more warmth to gray, it will slip out of the GRAY range and into the GREIGE or TAUPE end of things, in which case, you’re DEFINITELY getting a more noticeable warmth. However, at this point, you’re dealing with a chameleon colour that shifts its loyalty between gray, greige, or even beige, on a wall-to-wall basis. What we’re looking at today are grays that are GRAY, albeit warmer looking than the average gray…but still gray.
So, let’s get started with what I fondly call…
1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY SW 7029
This is my fave warm gray BECAUSE it’s really a greige. Confused? Let me explain. In northern light, Agreeable Gray leans HARD into gray, dropping the warmth almost entirely. Looking at Agreeable Gray in a room with these conditions will have you thinking it’s pretty darn gray.
Will your walls look warm? In comparison to a cool gray, yes. Generally speaking, Agreeable Gray will look like a soft warm gray unless it’s in a south-facing room where it can lean more into its passive warmth and appear more like the greige it is.
See the range of Agreeable Gray in these photos below…
BTW, I rely 100% on photos from my Online Paint Colour Consulting clients. This gives you a REAL life view of rooms that aren’t overly edited or altered.
- Agreeable Gray has an LRV of 60 which means it’s going to add decent energy and life to a room, but won’t make a dark space look brighter (Read more about LRV here).
- Agreeable Gray can pick up ANY of the three cool undertones, depending on the exposure, interior lighting and the finishes it’s partnered with, although it mildly favours violet.
- Agreeable Gray has a subtle warm undertone – not enough to take over, but enough to stop it from flashing traditionally cool.
- I find that the deeper I go with Agreeable Gray (Anew Gray/Mega Greige/Warm Stone) the warmer it looks. Agreeable Gray is the ONLY depth where it looks more like a warm gray than a greige.
- Does this colour have beige in it? Yes, that’s what’s warming it up, but I’ve never had it look legit beige in any space.
- In a north-facing room, Agreeable can pick up a slight gray/blue look or even a wink o’ green.
FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WORLDLY GRAY SW 7043
Worldly Gray and Agreeable Gray are like kissin’ cousins. Why? Well, they have a similar foundation, but Worldly Gray can pick up a wee flash of green. Overall though, you’ll get a warm, softened gray look.
Kylie M Interiors E-Design
Worldly Gray has an LRV of 58, so it’s a smidge darker than Agreeable. If this bugs you, have it lightened by 25% to bring it back up a bit, but keep in mind, this CAN affect the undertones slightly.
- In a south-facing room, you may notice the green a bit more. It will also lean a bit warmer.
- With no natural lighting or in the evenings, the greige/warm undertones may come slightly forward.
- Like Agreeable Gray, Worldly Gray is really stuck in between the warm gray and greige worlds.
FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray
Click HERE on the above image to view available packages
3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY SW 7015
Repose Gray is undoubtedly the grayest of the bunch. And because comparison is one of the BEST ways to pick a paint colour, place Repose Gray next to Agreeable Gray to see the shift between a legit warm gray and a colour that could pass for greige OR warm gray.
This next room has extreme northern light and a LOT of it. Notice how Repose Gray settles in (Dorian Gray in the kitchen)…
We used Repose Gray in these next rooms as well, complementing the darker wood flooring. Notice how Repoise Gray colour looks a bit more shaded with the reduced natural light. If you compare the contrast between the walls and trim in the previous room and these rooms, you’ll see a noticeable difference…
The LRV of Repose Gray is 60 so it’s close to Agreeable Gray for reflective value. Remember, you can usually lighten or darken a paint colour (25% does the trick in most cases), just remember, the undertones can shift slightly when you do this.
- Repose Gray is definitely the grayest of the bunch, just don’t forget about its slightly violet undertone which can ALSO lean a touch green at times.
- Repose Gray is WELL-known for picking up cool undertones from the environment so pay attention to your exposure!
- Looking for a bit more depth? Check out Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray or Dorian Gray which have similar approaches.
- Too warm for you? Take a look at Sherwin Williams Light French Gray and see if it hits the spot.
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. 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 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
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLONNADE GRAY SW 7641
Colonnade Gray is very (very) similar to the ever-popular Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. Same gray, same subtle warmth, similar depth. However, the subtle green you’ll find in both of these colours is WAAAY more passive in Colonnade Gray. When it shows up, you actually have to convince yourself it’s there (whereas Revere Pewter is slightly more obvious).
- Colonnade Gray has an LRV of 52, great for a well-lit room, but a touch dull for a darker one.
- There’s a very good chance you’d never know this colour had green in it unless I spilt the beans – which I DO love to do.
- If you are sensitive to green, don’t pick your nose and don’t pick this colour. I’ve found that folks like you can see it even when it’s not there, so let’s not encourage things.
- Want a bit more depth and undertone? Check out Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray. Looking for a lighter approach, bump on back to Worldly Gray.
- Colonnade Gray is SUPER comparable to Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter – minus the muddy green. To learn about the difference between these two colours, check out this post… Colour Review: Collonade Gray vs Revere Pewter
So, there you have it. If those are just too gray for your tastes, then you probably need to start dabbling in the Wild World of Greige. And if you’re stuck? You know who can help!
READ MORE
The 10 Best WHOLE HOME Gray and Greige Paint Colours
The 8 Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colours
How to Transition from Beige to Gray or Greige
Not sure which paint colour is best for your room?
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KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN, E-DECOR AND ONLINE VIRTUAL PAINT COLOR CONSULTING SPECIALIZING IN BENJAMIN MOORE AND SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT COLOURS
