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Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray (SW 7017) is a warm, medium-dark gray paint color that is one of its most popular exterior shades. Its versatility allows it to be used in a variety of other settings, too, from living rooms to dining rooms and even on kitchen islands.
What is its LRV?
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is an indicator of the amount of light that is reflected by a color when it is illuminated by a light source. A higher value (closer to 100) means that a color will reflect more light back at you and a lower value (closer to 0) means that a color will appear darker, or absorb more light.
The Light Reflective Value (LRV) of 39 indicates that while Dorian Gray is a darker color that works well for exteriors as it will not wash out. Its depth of saturation also means its a popular choice for a dark kitchen island island or as an accent wall.
It will not reflect a ton of light so keep that in mind when selecting this shade for different lighting conditions. Like any medium to darker shade, I would recommend you test out before fully committing.
Is it a Warm or Cool Color?
This warm gray paint color, thanks to its yellow hue family origins, provide a subtle warmth, making it a great paint color for living rooms and dining rooms alike.
Is Dorian Gray considered a greige?
It’s definitely not a traditional greige paint color. Dorian Gray leans more towards a deep, neutral gray than the lighter greige paint colors like Sherwin Williams Repose Gray or Agreeable Gray.
In a smaller room with not a lot of light, it will come across as darker than in a space with more light.
What are The Undertones?
Dorian Gray doesn’t have a lot of strong undertones. Under certain conditions, it can display a slight green undertone (which is what helps what it up), but it is not overly obvious or in your face! There’s also a smidge of purple in there, but that one is usually even less obvious.
What Colors Coordinate Well?
Dorian Gray’s versatility allows it to pair well with a range of colors, from dark blue to navy, and even neutral paint colors, offering a cohesive color scheme throughout the entire house.
Does Dorian Gray Make a Great Exterior Paint Color?
Yes! It’s depth makes Dorian Gray an excellent choice for exterior designs, complementing building materials like stone and brick, enhancing garage doors and elevating exterior designs.
Is it a Good Choice As a Cabinet Color?
On kitchen cabinets or as a cabinet color, Dorian Gray achieves a clean, yet classic feel, matching seamlessly with various appliances and countertops, proving to be a perfect paint color for a kitchen island or even gray cabinets in a home office.
If I’m using Dorian Gray on my walls, what white trim color will look best?
Pairing Dorian Gray with a bright white like Pure White can create a striking contrast, especially for white ceilings and white walls, emphasizing its warm tones.
What paint color is lighter than Dorian Gray?
For a lighter gray, Mindful Gray is a great choice, with a lighter side LRV of 48 compared to Dorian Gray’s 39, offering a subtle variation within the same color strip for different home spaces.
Dorian Gray vs Mindful Gray
When you see Mindful Gray and Dorian Gray next to each other they look very similar, with just a slight difference. Dorian Gray has an LRV of 39 and Mindful Gray has an LRV of 48.
Dorian Gray vs Gauntlet Gray
The LRV of Gauntlet Gray is 17.20, so substantially darker than Dorian gray. Both fall in the same color family and have similar mild purple undertones and green undertones.
Don’t Forget…
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 real paint samples 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.
Final Thoughts
Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray stands out as a versatile, warm, and neutral paint color that pairs well with both warm colors and neutral paint colors, making it ideal for a variety of applications from wall paint to exterior designs and cabinet color choices.
It’s a great soft, warm, paint color that would work in almost any room.
