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Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) was the most popular Sherwin Williams paint color a decade ago. While it has fallen out of favor for warmer greiges and creamy whites, it’s still a versatile choice if you prefer a warm gray color palette.
Wondering if it’s a good paint color your project? Here’s a detailed look at its characteristics and why it might not be suitable for every situation:
- Versatile Neutral: Agreeable Gray is a perfect blend of gray and beige, often referred to as a “greige.” This balance makes it a versatile choice that can complement a wide range of decor and styles. It’s neither too warm nor too cool, making it an ideal neutral for various spaces.
- Warm Undertones: The beige or taupe undertones in Agreeable Gray provide a warm, inviting feel. This warmth is a key factor in its popularity, as it can make spaces feel cozy and welcoming, unlike cooler toned grays.
- Adaptability with Light: With a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 60, Agreeable Gray is a mid-tone color. It can adapt well to different lighting conditions, changing subtly with the light to offer various shades throughout the day.
Despite its popularity, it’s important to recognize that Agreeable Gray is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and not always the perfect greige that it gets made out to be:
- Limited Natural Light: In spaces lacking ample natural light, Agreeable Gray can lose its charming balance and may appear darker and more muted. In a dark room, the lack of light can emphasize the gray over the beige, leading to a somewhat dreary or muddy appearance.
- Room Orientation and Colors: The direction a room faces and the colors in the room can greatly affect how Agreeable Gray looks. North-facing rooms, for instance, might make it appear cooler.
What Undertones Does Agreeable Gray Have?
Agreeable Gray has a warm beige undertone. Depending on the light, it may lean more into its beige or gray side. Generally, it’s slightly warmer in warm, bright natural light and a little grayer in darker spaces such are those that are in a north-facing room with cool light.
Saying that, it is one of the purest forms of greige. If a greige is what you are looking for, you really can’t go wrong with this color. It doesn’t have any purple or green undertones like many other warmer grays.
Is Agreeable Gray More Gray or Beige?
Agreeable Gray is a gray color that leans towards its beige undertone, making it a greige paint. Depending on the light in your room, it may lean more gray or more into the beige side, but it never look like a true beige.
Is Agreeable Gray Still Popular in 2024?
It won’t be making any top lists, but it’s definitely still popular amongst homeowners who enjoy a pretty gray paint color.
While white paint colors were popular for the past few years, many people have realized how cold they can be. Many are now transitioning back to warmer colors, but need a balanced color that works with both cool and warm undertones. SW Agreeable Gray does that very nicely.
What is The LRV of Agreeable Gray?
Agreeable Gray has an LRV of 60. LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is the number that refers to how light or dark a color is on a scale of 0-100.
The closer the number is to 100, the lighter it is (white being the lightest). The closer the number is to 0, the darker it is (black).
At 60, Agreeable Gray has just enough saturation that it is clearly a color (not white!) but it’s also light enough that it won’t feel heavy.
What Colors Pair Well with Agreeable Gray?
Agreeable Gray looks particularly good with white trim, blues, greens and neutral color schemes. It doesn’t take on a blue or green hue when you use those colors for accents (unlike many gray paint colors).
Neutral colors that work well alongside Agreeable Gray include SW Incredible White, SW Snowbound, SW Alabaster and SW Gossamer Veil.
Bolder coordinating colors include Sherwin Williams Sea Salt, SW Contented, SW Serious Gray, SW Krypton, SW Dovetail, SW Pavestone and SW Roycroft Pewter.
All of these colors can be used interchangeably throughout your home to complement Agreeable Gray. Whether you choose to use Agreeable Gray as a whole house color and use the other colors as accents in furniture and cabinets, or choose to use some of the colors on the walls, you’ll have a color scheme that you know will coordinate well.
SW Agreeable Gray vs BM Revere Pewter
Agreeable Gray tends to stay true to its greige color, being one of the purest forms of gray + beige, unlike Revere Pewter that has a tendency to pull quite muddy in some spaces. Agreeable Gray is also a slightly lighter color.
If I had to pick one of the two, I would choose Agreeable Gray since it doesn’t have that muddy green/beige undertone.
While Revere Pewter was incredibly popular 5+ years ago, Agreeable Gray has surpassed it considerably in recent years, in part due to the desire for lighter and brighter spaces that Revere Pewter doesn’t always achieve.
Agreeable Gray vs Repose Gray
Agreeable Gray and Sherwin Williams Repose Gray (SW 7015) are both popular neutral paint colors, but they have distinctive characteristics in terms of their undertones and light reflectance values (LRV).
- LRV (Light Reflectance Value):
- Agreeable Gray: It has an LRV of 60, which places it in the category of mid-tone colors. It’s not too dark or too light, making it a versatile choice for various lighting conditions.
- Repose Gray: This color has a slightly higher LRV of 58, meaning it’s also a mid-tone but may appear a bit darker than Agreeable Gray, especially in lower light conditions.
- Undertones:
- Agreeable Gray: This is a warm gray with a soft, beige or taupe undertone, making it lean towards a greige (gray + beige) appearance. It’s known for its ability to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
- Repose Gray: Unlike Agreeable Gray, Repose Gray is a cooler gray with blue and purple undertones. This makes it feel more like a true gray compared to the warmer, more beige-toned Agreeable Gray.
- Popularity:
- Agreeable Gray is often more popular due to its warmth and versatility. It’s a favorite among homeowners and designers for its ability to complement a wide range of styles and decor.
- Repose Gray, while slightly less popular than Agreeable Gray, is still a highly favored choice, especially for those looking for a cooler, more neutral gray that doesn’t veer too much into blue or green territories.
In choosing between these two, consider the lighting conditions of your space and the overall mood you wish to create. If you’re leaning towards a warmer, more inviting palette, Agreeable Gray is a great choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a more neutral, classic gray, Repose Gray would be more suitable.
Agreeable Gray vs On The Rocks
Sherwin Williams On The Rocks (SW 7671) and Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) are both neutral colors, but they have distinct differences in their undertones and light reflectance values (LRV).
- LRV (Light Reflectance Value):
- On The Rocks: This color has an LRV of around 62, which means it’s a mid-tone color. It reflects a fair amount of light but isn’t overly bright.
- Agreeable Gray: It has an LRV of 60, slightly lower than On The Rocks. This means it’s also a mid-tone color but may appear slightly darker in some lighting conditions.
- Undertones:
- On The Rocks: This color is a cool gray with subtle blue undertones. It tends to lean towards a more stony, crisp look and can appear more neutral in spaces with a lot of natural light.
- Agreeable Gray: As a warm gray, it has a more beige or taupe undertone. This makes it feel warmer and cozier compared to On The Rocks. Agreeable Gray is often praised for its versatility and ability to complement a wide range of decors.
- Popularity:
- While both colors are popular, Agreeable Gray tends to be more favored due to its warmth and versatility. It’s often recommended by designers as a go-to neutral because it works well in a variety of lighting conditions and complements many different color palettes.
What White Trim Color Should I use with Agreeable Gray?
- Extra White (for really bright white trim)
- Pure White (bright white with some subtle warmth)
- Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White (a traditional white with a hint of gray that stops it being TOO bright)
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray in Real Homes
In what rooms does Agreeable Gray work best? Every room!
From kitchens and dining rooms, to bathrooms and bedrooms, Agreeable Gray will coordinate with your existing furniture, fixtures and hardwoods without any weird undertones suddenly appearing.
That’s why it is so loved by designers and homeowners alike!
Bedrooms
The bright, cooler light of this room allows the paint color to pull a touch grayer, creating a very fresh and modern look.
In this master bedroom, the brick, dark hardwood floors and peach colored curtains help to bring the warmer tones out of the paint color.
This nursery from Living Letter Home perfectly demonstrates the undertones of Agreeable Gray. In the bright, warm light you can see it at its warmest while in the shadow you can see how much grayer it looks.
Living Rooms
Entryways
Kitchens and Dining Rooms
Can’t you just feel the warm sunshine pouring into this space? Paired with the wooden table and warm morning light, this dining room shows Agreeable Gray’s beautiful warm beige undertones.
Cabinets and Doors
Agreeable gray is such a flexible color that it makes for a great paint color for kitchen cabinets, doors and trim! Whether your style is modern, traditional or farmhouse, this is a color that will freshen up your home.
I’m really loving the trend of painting cabinets, doors and even trim warmer gray shades like this. It adds instant warmth and elegance to a space and it’s an easy way to give you home an entirely new look on a budget.
What Are Some Similar Paint Colors to Agreeable Gray?
If you’re looking for similar colors that are not an exact match, here are some paint colors to try:
- Benjamin Moore Rodeo
- Behr Toasty Gray
- Valspa Villa Gray
- Sherwin Williams Wordly Gray
- Sherwin Williams Gossamer Veil
- Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
Don’t Forget To Always Use Real Paint Samples!
Don’t forget – no matter what you’ve read or photos you’ve seen online, it’s really important to sample paint colors in your home before committing!
Samplize provides peel and stick paint samples made with real paint, that are easy to move around your home, and cheaper than buying a gazillion paint pots! It’s the only way I buy paint samples.
So, is Agreeable Gray the right color for your home?
If you are looking for a color that will work throughout your home, is neutral in nature but still offers enough contrast from your white trim, then Agreeable Gray may be the right choice for you.
It’s warm undertones ensure that it will never feel cold no matter what room it is in.
Jenna
What color of white works well on ceilings and in what finish would you suggest
Thank you!
Flat paint is standard for ceilings. You can use the standard off-the-shelf white (which is a clean bright white). I’ve never bothered having it tinted.
Hi Jenna!
I love your blog and have been reading up extensively trying to decide on a color for my living room, entryway and dining rooms. I am struggling!! There is not much light in that part of our home and I am trying to find a greige that doesn’t darken the space more of just look “blah.” I tried agreeable grey but it is so dark! I am afraid to use it. Is there another greige I could try?
Thank you!
Repose gray lightened by 50% is perfection in darker areas!
I just bought a condo and the walls are Agreeable gray and ALL the woodwork and doors are White Dove. Do I have to change the woodwork and door color to a cooler white color?
Absolutely not! That should be a nice match – white dove is a lovely creamy white. As long as you don’t want a bright crisp white you’re good!
Thanks so much for your response Jenna!
Great post – Agreeable Gray is my favorite of all time paint colors. We’ve moved into a condo and I’ve painted all the walls with it. Here’s my dilemma: I’ve spent hours at the paint store, getting samples and swatches and also gotten Samplize swatches and can’t find the right cabinet color for the kitchen. It’s small, east facing with little light. The walls are beautiful with Agreeable Gray and Extra White trim. Do you have a suggestion for the cabinets? I’m looking at Mindful Gray and Anew Gray but don’t want to go too deep. I’m thinking about Agreeable Gray 25% darker but wonder if there would be any contrast. You opinion would be invaluable. Thank you!
25% darker will just look like a shadow :-)
What do you think about repose gray as an exterior color with a white boarder?
Beautiful! It looks really light and soft as an exterior color
We have a wall with a brick fireplace that has white trim. We want to paint this wall darker. What would be a good color to go with either repose gray or agreeable gray?
Great article! I’m still on the fence about a good greigh for my home the faces North and south. I have open concept living/dining/kitchen area. They all have honey oak in them. Be it the cabinets, trim, doors or fireplace. Large southern windows in LR and sliders in dinning. Which would you do for between Agreeable Gray or Repose Gray. I’m going to accent with a dark blue gray ‘Wall Street’.
Loving your articles and guidance!!
If you want a color closer to gray, then Repose. If you want more warmth, then Agreeable. You can’t go wrong with either, it just depends on the look you want!
Is it dark? My kitchen is on the smaller side don’t want it to be dark, but really don’t want white.
It’s a medium-tone color. Not dark, but not light. It has substantial color to it.
HI Sherry, I am loving Jenna’s website and recommendations. I am in exactly the same situation as you as to how my house it. Do you mind me asking if you went with Repose Gray or Agreeable Gray. The color swatches of Repose look a little blue/purple to me in some lights. Thank you!
Hello! Great post! Our house faces East and West in sunny Florida….can you tell me how this color would look on the exterior of our craftsman style home with existing white trim and brick on the bottom of the columns. Brick is called Williamsburg and is a traditional mix of colors. Thank you!!