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Useful Gray SW 7050
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: Noticeable yellow undertone
In CIELAB, Useful Gray sits at L* 81.4, a* -0.5, b* 7.1. Its hue angle is 94° and its chroma is 7.1, so it leans yellow clearly enough to notice on a full wall. It classifies as warm. Among Sherwin-Williams colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 48%.
LRV 59.1: light
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 59.1, Useful Gray is lighter than 71% of Sherwin-Williams colors. The most forgiving range for whole-house walls. Keeps rooms bright without glare.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Useful Gray
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revere Pewter | HC-172 | 1.10 | Very close | |
| Ice Formations | 973 | 1.10 | Very close | |
| Rodeo | 1534 | 1.31 | Very close |
Closest Behr match to Useful Gray
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color. Behr does not publish LRV, so Behr values here are estimates.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toasty Gray | N320-2 | 0.68 | Practically identical | |
| Tranquil Gray | DC-007 | 0.94 | Practically identical | |
| Shoreline Haze | MQ6-31 | 1.12 | Very close |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedate Gray | SW 6169 | 1.00 | Very close | |
| Simple Stone | SW 9521 | 1.43 | Very close | |
| Accolade | SW 9516 | 1.49 | Very close | |
| Agreeable Gray | SW 7029 | 1.65 | Very close | |
| Gossamer Veil | SW 9165 | 1.71 | Very close | |
| Repose Gray | SW 7015 | 1.80 | Very close |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Wool Skein SW 6148 · lighter, LRV 62.8
- Grecian Ivory SW 7541 · lighter, LRV 63.2
- Moorstone SW 9630 · lighter, LRV 63.3
- Cargo Pants SW 7738 · darker, LRV 55.7
- Threaded Loom SW 9512 · darker, LRV 54.5
- Beachcomber SW 9617 · darker, LRV 54.7
Colors that go with Useful Gray
Sherwin-Williams's own coordinating colors for Useful Gray:
- Greek Villa SW 7551
- Acacia Haze SW 9132
- Nuance SW 7049
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Sherwin-Williams color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Daydream SW 6541 · complementary (180°)
- Unfussy Beige SW 6043 · analogous (−30°)
- Frostwork SW 0059 · analogous (+30°)
- Sleepy Blue SW 6225 · triadic (120°)
- Enchant SW 6555 · triadic (240°)
Useful Gray vs popular colors
- Revere Pewter (Benjamin Moore HC-172, ΔE 1.1) is darker (LRV 55.0 vs 59.1).
- Agreeable Gray (Sherwin-Williams SW 7029, ΔE 1.7) is about as light, more blue/cool.
- Collingwood (Benjamin Moore OC-28, ΔE 1.7) is lighter (LRV 61.5 vs 59.1), more blue/cool.