Cathedral Gray
PPU18-14 · #ACAAA8 · LRV 40 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Pewter Green12
- 2Retreat21
- 3Cathedral Gray40
- 4Upward57
- 5Sea Salt63
What Color Is Cathedral Gray, Really?
Cathedral Gray reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Behr PPU18-14 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Cathedral Gray
Cathedral Gray is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Cathedral Gray
Cathedral Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 40, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Cathedral Gray are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr PPU18-14 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Mystical ShadeSW 6276 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.6 | 40 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Stormy Monday2112-50 · Benjamin Moore | 1.0 | 41 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Metropolis4005-1C · Valspar | 2.8 | 41 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | PrecipitationPPG0997-4 · PPG / Glidden | 2.6 | 41 | Color page → |
| Glidden | PrecipitationPPG0997-4 · Glidden | 2.6 | 41 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Silver Plated445-2DB · Dutch Boy | 4.0 | 41 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Cathedral Gray within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #ACAAA8 in HSL space. Pair Cathedral Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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