Aubrey Nelson
If there is ONE paint colour that’s lit MANY fires this year, it has to be Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray. And while I’ve touched on it briefly in other blog posts, I figured it was time to hammer down some finer points on this bad boy. Agreeable Gray has claimed a top spot for several years, and it’s still going strong.
Agreeable Gray is a great transition for those not quite ready for the warmer beige trends
its moderate LRV parks it right near the sweet spot of the light range (you’ll read more on this shortly). In this next image, you can see how Agreeable Gray COULD lean into some considerable warmth under the right circumstances…but it ain’t beige.
And one more image, showing Agreeable Gray in its most natural state (and I miiiight even see a wink of green undertone)… Overall, Agreeable Gray is one darn non-committal neutral paint colour with minimal undertones. Agreeable Gray’s LRV comes in at 60, which is DAAMN close to my magic number of 62. I have a great article on the topic of LRV if you want to learn more (it’s saved MANY lives…and marriages). In the previous dining room photo, notice where the light hits the wall. For those of you who are sensitive to the USUAL cool undertones, Agreeable Gray is one of the more NEUTRAL greige-taupe paint colours.
Greige tends to favour a green undertone; taupe loves a touch of violet. And sure, in some lights, Agreeable Gray picks up a very vague violet, and in others, a wink o’ green.
HOWEVER, a lot of the time, Agreeable Gray registers as having NO undertone at all (perception can be at play). For example, put Agreeable Gray in a room with violet-pink (taupe) undertones, and it can look a bit green ‘in comparison’… Remember, every gray or greige will grab undertones – you can’t run; they will find you. Another way that Agreeable Gray could look pink is if you don’t get it mixed by a Sherwin-Williams technician (try not to colour-match).
I’ve seen Agreeable Gray go overly violet ONE TIME in my many experiences (coming up shortly). This next space, which is SO well-decorated (I have such great clients), shows how Agreeable Gray has a slightly green hue compared to the violet in the flooring (she hired me to fix it)…
A south-facing room is where Agreeable Gray is at its best, or ‘most expected’ – as a soft, light greige-taupe with a minimal undertone. Here are a few more shots of Agreeable Gray in random rooms, giving you a well-rounded look at this gorgeous neutral colour… Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out shortly to grab paint samples – stop right there! And while Anew Gray can lean a bit cooler in some lights, it doesn’t go as far as Agreeable Gray…
Agreeable Gray isn’t TOO fussy when it comes to white paint colours, but I would focus on… Generally speaking, NO, Agreeable Gray won’t work with many cream cabinets or wall paint colours.
My PERSONAL opinion is that it’s a very touchy combination that isn’t usually in the best interest of either colour or the surrounding finishes. As shown in this next photo, a warm, soft white/off-white is really STRETCHING Agreeable Gray’s comfort zone. Notice how BLUE Agreeable Gray looks ‘in comparison’ to the creamy warmth of the cabinets. This is a great example of Agreeable Gray shifting its look and undertones based on its environment.
Agreeable Gray can be AWESOME on exteriors, either as a siding or trim colour. This next photo is the one I alluded to earlier – where Agreeable Gray grabs a TON of violet undertone.
Agreeable Gray usually comes off WAY more neutral than this, with minimal to no undertone at all… Agreeable Gray will be a bit fussy about some warmer beige, tan and cream paint colours.
