It’s no secret that this year I am going on the journey of paint. I am painting the entire interior of my home and I have been on the hunt for the perfect greige paint color!
Greige is basically the combination of gray and beige, you know like Brangelina! LOL. (I know, super bad joke!) I used to rock the beige and brown look in the ’90s and early 2000s. Then the trend swung towards gray and it took me a while to make the transition. That’s why I love the greige paint color because it’s the perfect combination of both colors and it isn’t outdated like my old beige walls were.
I have been working on painting my interior walls, they are too dark. Surprisingly they aren’t a dark paint color, I believe they are a color match to Revere Pewter, but because I live in the trees and don’t get a lot of natural light I want them to be lighter and brighter.
In order to achieve a brighter room, I need to paint with a high amount of light reflection.
Let’s Talk about LRV
LRV is short for Light Reflective Value. The short version of this definition is the amount of light reflected with a light source.
According to Wikipedia, the definition is
“In architecture, light reflectance value (LRV), is a measure of visible and usable light that is reflected from a surface when illuminated by a light source.[1] The measurement is most commonly used by design professionals, such as architectural color consultants, architects, environmental graphic designers and interior designers.
LRVs are frequently reported on paint chips or paint samples. The values are used by lighting designers to determine the number and type of light fixtures needed to provide proper lighting for interior spaces.”
We use LRV in paint colors to show whether the paint reflects a lot or a little light. Why is this useful? If you live in an area where you do not get much natural light and you want to brighten your home you are going to want a paint color with a high LRV.
The higher the number the more light it will reflect and vice versa. This is important to some people and not to others, I mention it just in case you are trying to lighten or darken your home. Just because a paint color is light, doesn’t necessarily mean it will brighten your home. If brightening is your goal, make sure you check out the paint colors LRV. It’s usually on the paint chip. 😉
The Best Sherwin Williams Greige Paint Colors
Useful Gray SW 7050
Useful gray is a medium tone greige paint color with yellow and green undertones. As you can see from the bedroom photo below it looks great with both the beige and gray colors of the window treatments and bedding. It also pairs nicely with the wood tones in the nightstands and wood floors.
Source: Jillian Lare
Amazing Gray SW 7044
Amazing gray is considered a true gray because it can have a tendency to go both warm or cool. It is one shade darker than Worldly Gray. Both colors have a slight undertone of green.
Source: Pinterest
Worldly Gray SW 7043
Wordly gray is the lighter version of Amazing Gray and is considered a true gray with a slight tendency to be warm. Again, this color has a slight undertone of green.
Source: Cottage Home Company
Dorian Gray SW 7017 – LRV 39
This greige paint color is a little on the darker side but very moody and romantic. It has a pull towards purple but still on the warm side.
Source: Kylie M. Interiors
Agreeable Gray SW 7029
Agreeable gray is lighter than Dorian gray but also has a hint towards purple. If you don’t like your paint to pull green then this is a great choice!
Source: Inspired by Charm
Repose Gray SW 7015 – LRV 60
Repose Gray is a fabulous color with suble undertones of brown and a touch of purple. If you are thinking of selling your home this is a great color to paint your walls for a neutral backdrop.
Source: Designing Vibes
The Best Benjamin Moore Greige Paint Colors
Classic Gray 1548 – LRV 74
This is the color I chose for my home. I painted my downstairs family room that color and it sometimes looks beige and sometimes it looks gray depending on the time of day and light. I can’t wait to paint the rest of the house!
To see the before of my downstairs family room/teen space click here.
Source: The Creativity Exchange
Pale Oak OC-20
This is a beautiful greige paint color that pulls a little yellow/green. It’s a stunning color that was definitely on my short list of paint colors to paint my house.
Source: A Thoughtful Place
Revere Pewter HC 172 – LRV 55.51
This is by far the most popular warm gray paint color. It’s also a recommended color for staging your home to sell. It’s almost a perfect neutral, which is what makes it so popular.
Source: A Turquoise Home
Gray Owl 2137-60 – LRV 65.77
Gray Owl is one of those paint colors that can go either warm or cool depending on the amount of natural light your room receives. The more natural light the cooler the color tends to pull with a little bit of a blue undertone. But in rooms where artificial light is prominently used this color is just stunning!
Source: Creating Contrast Designs
Edgecombe Gray HC-173 – LRV 63.88
Edgecombe Gray is sort of in between Pale Oak and Revere Pewter when looking at the lightness/darkness with very similar undertones.
Source: The Creativity Exchange
White Dove I-06 – LRV 85.38
As you can see from the LRV number this color is very bright! That’s why it also made the shortlist for colors in my home. What it came down to was this color is almost white and very close to my baseboard color so I chose Classic Gray.
Source: Rivers Spencer Interiors
Greige paint colors can vary greatly. The best thing to do is get a small trial can (usually around $5) and paint a large swatch on the wall. Look at that swatch over the course of a couple of days and see which one you like the best. Hopefully, it’s obvious to you!
I know I only chose paint colors from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore. I couldn’t possibly go through all the paint lines, there are just too many. These are my favorite brands. I like the BM colors best but I love the paint from Sherwin Williams, plus it goes on sale from time to time, unlike Benjamin Moore. you can color match at different retailers but keep in mind it will never be exactly the same as if you got it from the owners of that color.
To see all the colors of the year for 2019 from each paint branch check out this post!
Great choices Wendy! So far Pale Oak and White Dove are my favorite! We have Revere Pewter and I love it but sometimes it seems a little dark, especially on a cloudy day! Can’t wait to see what you do.
We use those paints all the time, such great choices! Another one we love is Benjamin Moore Bruton White CW-710 !
That’s great Ally, I will have to check out Bruton White. Thanks for stopping by!
I really need help. I have SW sands of time on my living room/dining room walls with a BM Galveston gray accent wall. I’ll leaving the BM Galveston but NEEED TO LIGHTEN THIS ROOM.
It has a West exposure so only gets hot sun in late afternoon. Wish I could post picture of my room and fabrics here.
Hi Kerry, shoot me a picture at wendyduffy@atlaneandhigh.com and we can talk about it there.
I need help with a light neutral, warm greige color for my home! I just want to paint all rooms the same color, but that is proving to be difficult. We live in the Seattle area where it is cloudy most of the time, and also have a lot of trees surrounding our home. The front of our home faces north, and all of our rooms are either north or south facing. I have swatched a few colors in multiple rooms, so far I like Agreeable Gray the most (could be a tad lighter though), and although I love it in our south facing bathroom and north facing master bedroom, in our south facing living room where there is more natural light, it’s looking too much of a blue gray. And it looks almost white it my south facing kitchen for some reason. I would love a gray-related color that is lighter, warmer, and doesn’t look so gray in the living room! Any advice is greatly appreciated 🙂
Forgot to mention, our kitchen cabinets and floors are light oak, so also looking for a neural that will stick out some and not blend in so much 🙂
Kylie I feel like you and I have very similar issues. I have a very dark home due to trees and have been in the process of repainting mine a light color as well. I have two suggestions for you, Classic Gray from Benjamin Moore. It’s amazing because sometimes it look beige and sometimes gray. It’s very light but up against my white baseboards it definitely has color. Also, if you love Agreeable Gray but it’s still a little too dark try having them mix it with 75% or 50% strength. That will lighten it up but still keep the color you like. Lastly, if Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore is a bit expensive (I know Benjamin Moore never goes on sale) then you can have the colors you love color matched at another store. But I will say that I think Sherwin Williams paint has the best quality and believe it’s worth the cost, but I always buy it on sale! If you have any more questions or would like me to send you some pictures email me at wendyduffy@atlaneandhigh.com. Thanks!!!
Thank you so much! I will be sampling Classic Gray on my walls very soon 🙂
Hello, thank you for the colors. Could you tell me the name of the white. Thank you.
Hi Lisa,
It’s called White Dove. Thanks!
Thanks for the tips! What is the trim color you pair with Pale Oak in the entryway above?
I have maple (orange/red) floors and cabinets… What griege do you suggest?
I would probably stay away from a gray that pulls towards yellow or green and more towards beige/purple. I would suggest Classic Gray, Agreeable Gray or Repose Gray. They are three different shades, classic gray being the lightest and Repose Gray being the darkest. Thanks for stopping by Deborah!
I am thinking of using BM Classic Gray too. What trim color do you recommend? Also, will you be painting your ceilings the trim color too?
Hi Lynette. I am actually using a different product than what most people use to do my trim. Most use Dove White or another BM or SW white but I am using a product from Behr. It’s a combo oil based and latex based product in bright white that has the ease of clean up with water but has the durability of oil based paint. I used this on my stair risers for example a year and a half ago, I don’t have a single mark on the paint. It looks like the day I painted them (and I have a 21 year old and 18 year old tromping up and down the stairs all the time). I saw in a local facebook group a Mom asking what people used because in a year hers were all beat up. Here is a link to the paint. https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-1-gal-White-Urethane-Alkyd-Semi-Gloss-Enamel-Interior-Exterior-Paint-390001/300831629 I hope this is clickable for you, if not you might have to copy and paste it into your browser. And I only have a couple rooms that need the ceilings painted and I don’t plan on using the same paint as the trim. I haven’t gotten that far yet though! I hope this helps!
May I get advice on a interior paint color for a new build, lots of windows for natural light, north facing for the most part, 11 foot walls with some cathedral, elegant rustic style, trusses, beams, rock fore places mostly light in color and the flooring will be natural travertine in Italian cream rustic , crazy horse granite and a big trophy room ( hunting animal mounts, current wall color is SW Burlap for trophy / great room which is a great color and mounts pop ) ..Im having a hard time even getting started but thinking along the gray tones possibly ..
Thank you
Wow! Sounds absolutely dreamy! If you like to keep things bright I like Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore. It will look amazing with the travertine and is in the gray family. If you like something a little darker, and sounds like you have the natural light to do that, I would check out Agreeable Gray or Dorian Gray both by Sherwin Williams. You can get samples of all of them and put swatches on the wall. See which color you like the best in all sorts of lighting, both day and night. I hope that helps!
I love alabaster (thinking for trim/doors/cabinets) but I think I want a slight contrast on my walls. We have lots of natural light in the house. I’m decorating with Wood and metal accents. Lighter colored laminate floors, white quartz counter top that looks marbled with a steak of a light brown color. I need help! I want more beige than gray I think. Also, I need a black to paint my front door. SW is the brand our builder uses. Thanks for any advice!
Hi Ariella! It sounds like you have lots of light in your home. I know you mentioned you want more beige than gray, but I think Amazing Gray would be perfect. I really feel like it pulls beige a lot. It’s a true greige color so can be very versitile. I also think Perfect Greige would look great too. They will provide the contrast you are looking for. Now for a front door my hands down go to color is Urban Bronze. It’s not a true black but its the most gorgeous color! I had just painted my front door that color before I did this summer wreath in this post. https://www.atlaneandhigh.com/hydrangea-wreath/ You can see the color really well here. Good luck with the new home! Send pictures when it’s done!
Hi! I have SW Snowbound for trim and doors. Wanting a nice white or very light gray or greige on the walls. My accents are black windows and light fixtures with white countertops and warm natural wood looking floors. Cabinets are white and a dark kona finish. Thanks for an advice!
Hi Amy! I highly recommend Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore. It’s a greige but very light, almost white. I just painted my teens space with it and sometimes it looks gray and sometimes beige. I love it! I think it will look amazing with your black windows and warm floors. I hope that helps!
Hello and Good Evening!
I just read your blog post and I love the greige colors you highlighted and discussed. I myself am still on the hunt for the perfect griege for my north facing kitchen and your post gave me a few more to consider.
I would like to point out though when you were discussing LRV, you stated the lower the LRV# the lighter it is. This is incorrect ~ the higher the # the more light it will reflect and its based on a scale of 0 to 100 with #50 being average.
Oh and also ~ Thank you for the tip on the Behr Semi-Gloss Enamel for the high traffic area of stair risers! That’s a keeper!
Laura @ L’abri Artistic Interiors Inc.
Hi Laura, thank you so much for catching my mistake! I didn’t even type low I typed “love”. Ugh! (insert the forehead slapping emoji right here, LOL) I have corrected it in the post. And I am so glad you liked my tip on the Behr for trip and risers. That stuff is my ultimate go to for so many things!
I love your selection of Greige colors. I’m thinking of going with Benjamin Moore’s Olympic Mountains. It looks lovely on a sample board. Do you consider that a Greige? I seem to like it better than some of the other colors described as Greige, such as Pale Oak and Balboa Mist, which are lovely but show a bit too pink in my large family room/kitchen. Revere Pewter and Edgecomb Gray are too dark for this space and for my taste. Classic Gray although lovely, is just a bit too gray.
Hi Maggie! I would definitely say Olympic Mountains is a greige. It leans a little more beige than gray but it sounds like that’s what you are looking for, if Classic Gray is too gray. What a lovely color Olympic Mountains is too!
Since Sherwin Williams paint goes on sale often, if they color match BM Classic Gray, would it come out looking like the BM color or will it be just a tad different. Also, what sheen do you use? I want to paint 3 seldom used guest bedrooms. Thank you.
Hi Sylvia! Color matching always gives you a tad different color but as long as you don’t have the original next to the color match I don’t think you will notice the difference at all. I tend to use a satin sheen but that’s because I have kids and a dog, they are always rubbing up and touching the walls. If you are using it for seldom used guest bedrooms then you might want to go with flat. Let me know if you hear of any good Sherwin Williams sales! I have a good 5 gallons to buy!
Hi there,
We recently moved into a new house and want to update the paint! There are a decent number of windows in the house, but its a wooded lot so there isn’t a lot of bright natural light. There is a lot of wood in the house – hickory floors, wood cabinets, and tan carpet. We eventually want to replace the carpet, but for now would like to update the paint to make it more modern. Its currently a goldish tan. Can you recommend a greige? You can see pictures of the house here: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/6550-W-Forest-Edge-Dr_Ludington_MI_49431_M37359-00690#photo0
You have a beautiful home! What a wonderful lot too! I have the same issue, tons of windows but just as many trees, if not more. You floors are amazing! I think I would go with either Classic Gray (this is what I am going with in my home), Pale Oak or Agreeable Gray. Pale Oak pulls a little more yellow than the others. Pale Oak and Classic Gray are Benjamin Moore and Agreeable Gray is from Sherwin Williams. I would get a sample of them and paint near your kitchen cabinets and see how they look next to them in all different lights (morning through evening). Good luck!