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Gray Area SW 7052
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: Noticeable yellow undertone
In CIELAB, Gray Area sits at L* 68.5, a* 0.5, b* 9.4. Its hue angle is 87° and its chroma is 9.5, 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 46%.
LRV 38.6: mid-tone
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 38.6, Gray Area is lighter than 48% of Sherwin-Williams colors. Reads clearly as a color. Best in rooms with good natural light, or as an accent wall; small dark rooms may feel smaller.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Gray Area
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chateau | CSP-140 | 1.46 | Very close | |
| Indian River | 985 | 1.53 | Very close | |
| Ranchwood | CC-500 | 1.53 | Very close |
Closest Behr match to Gray Area
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked Tan | HDC-NT-14 | 0.74 | Practically identical | |
| Roadside | MQ2-52 | 0.75 | Practically identical | |
| Garden Wall | 730D-4 | 1.00 | Very close |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereal Mood | SW 7639 | 0.54 | Practically identical | |
| Illusion | SW 9592 | 0.77 | Practically identical | |
| Western Reserve | SW 9597 | 2.00 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Intellectual Gray | SW 7045 | 2.17 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Gateway Gray | SW 7644 | 2.21 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Mega Greige | SW 7031 | 2.26 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Perfect Greige SW 6073 · lighter, LRV 41.7
- Portico SW 7548 · lighter, LRV 41.8
- Sage SW 2860 · lighter, LRV 42.1
- Intellectual Gray SW 7045 · darker, LRV 35.7
- Fawn Brindle SW 7640 · darker, LRV 35.5
- Truly Taupe SW 6038 · darker, LRV 35.5
Colors that go with Gray Area
Sherwin-Williams's own coordinating colors for Gray Area:
- Ripe Olive SW 6209
- Smokey Topaz SW 6117
- Nuance SW 7049
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Sherwin-Williams color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Solitude SW 6535 · complementary (180°)
- Emerging Taupe SW 6045 · analogous (−30°)
- Willow Tree SW 7741 · analogous (+30°)
- Interesting Aqua SW 6220 · triadic (120°)
- Obi Lilac SW 6556 · triadic (240°)
Gray Area vs popular colors
- Sea Gull Gray (Benjamin Moore ES-72, ΔE 2.7) is lighter (LRV 40.2 vs 38.6), more blue/cool, more green, more muted.
- Dorian Gray (Sherwin-Williams SW 7017, ΔE 3.1) is about as light, more blue/cool, more muted.
- Functional Gray (Sherwin-Williams SW 7024, ΔE 3.2) is darker (LRV 37.0 vs 38.6), more blue/cool, more muted.