Benjamin Moore Gray OwlvsSherwin-Williams Repose Gray
Why this comparison: Benjamin Moore’s best-selling light gray against Sherwin-Williams’ — cross-brand rivals at nearly the same depth. Gray Owl and Repose Gray are very close (ΔE 3.14). The difference shows up most in side-by-side comparison and under specific light.
Built from our full reviews of both colors — same measured data, same real-room photos. About the testing process →
The Numbers
Gray Owl is slightly lighter (LRV 65 vs 58, 7-point delta).
What Each Color Really Is
A very light gray with a grayed-out yellow-green lean — and the lean is the whole story. At about 7 percent saturation there is barely any color in the can, so Gray Owl has almost nothing holding it in place. Give it strong sun and it tips toward soft sage. Give it a gray, overcast north window and the warmth vanishes and it drifts blue. The two most common complaints about this color, "it looks green" and "it looks blue," are both true, in the same house, on different walls.
At LRV 65 it reflects a lot of light, which is why it became a whole-house default. Put it next to Repose Gray SW 7015 at LRV 58 and Gray Owl is clearly the lighter, airier one — Repose looks a shade heavier and slightly taupe. Go the other way and stand it next to Classic Gray OC-23 at LRV 74 and Gray Owl suddenly looks like a real gray instead of an off-white. That middle position is exactly what people want from it, and exactly why it is so easy to get wrong.
A light greige built on a violet base. That last part is the whole story. Most warm grays get their softness from yellow or brown pigment; Repose Gray gets a good share of its from a whisper of purple, with a faint green thread underneath it. In warm light the purple reads as "soft" and "not cold," which is exactly the effect people are after. Take the warm light away and the same pigment reads as what it is. Nothing about the mix changes room to room — only what the light lets you see.
At LRV 58 it sits almost exactly where Agreeable Gray does at 60, so the two are not a light-versus-dark decision — they are a temperature decision. Repose leans slightly cool and clean; Agreeable leans slightly tan. That two-point gap also tells you something people miss: 58 is mid-light, not pale. It is a real, visible color on the wall, roughly halfway between a white ceiling and a mid-tone gray sofa, and it will read as gray from across the room rather than disappearing like an off-white.
Specs Side by Side
| Spec | Gray Owl | Repose Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Sherwin-Williams |
| SKU | 2137-60 | SW 7015 |
| Hex | #D3D4CC | #CCC9C0 |
| RGB | 211, 212, 204 | 204, 201, 192 |
| LRV | 65 | 58 |
| Undertone | yellow / warm | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Gray | Neutral |
How Light Changes Them
Warm at the sun hours, settles to a quiet neutral gray after. Its sweet spot.
Direct warm sun brings the yellow-green forward. Lovely as soft sage — a problem if you wanted gray.
Cool daylight strips the warmth out and leaves a thin blue-gray. The most regretted room.
2700K lamps: creamier, slightly greener. 3500-4000K: crisp, clean gray. Change bulbs before you change paint.
Warm daylight all day keeps the greige balanced and soft. This is the room it was made for.
Cool light kills the warmth and the violet base surfaces. Expect lavender or baby blue. Sample large, or go warmer.
4000K LEDs push it blue-gray and lifeless after dark. Swap to 2700K bulbs before you blame the paint — it usually fixes it outright.
West windows at 4pm bleach it close to an off-white. Fine on a big wall, disappointing if you wanted visible gray.
Both Colors in Real Rooms
Photos from our full reviews — the same rooms and captions, so you can judge each color where it actually lives, not on a chip.
When to Pick Which
Whole-house walls where one gray has to work everywhere · rooms with steady, even daylight · dark hallways and small rooms that need to feel bigger · anyone who tried a true gray and found it cold
Your room is dim and faces north · you have green-toned floors, tile or quartz · you want a gray that obviously reads gray · your trim is bright white and you want real contrast
South- and west-facing living rooms · open-plan main floors that need one calm neutral · walls beside warm wood, brass, or matte black · anyone who found Agreeable Gray too beige
Your room faces north and stays dim · your cabinets or counters are cream, ivory, or champagne · your bulbs are 4000K daylight LEDs · you want a gray that reads clearly gray, not greige
No comparison page can see your light. Upload one photo of your room and try both colors on the same walls, seconds apart.
Gray Owl vs Repose Gray FAQ
Which is lighter, Gray Owl or Repose Gray?
Gray Owl is lighter: LRV 65 vs 58. Gray Owl is slightly lighter (LRV 65 vs 58, 7-point delta).
Which is warmer, Gray Owl or Repose Gray?
They sit in the same temperature family: Gray Owl reads yellow / warm, Repose Gray reads red-orange / warm. Side by side, undertone is not the deciding factor here.
How similar are Gray Owl and Repose Gray?
Gray Owl and Repose Gray are very close (ΔE 3.14). The difference shows up most in side-by-side comparison and under specific light. The only reliable test is seeing both in your own room and light — a side-by-side on a screen or chip flattens the difference.
Can I use Gray Owl and Repose Gray together in one house?
Not in the same room, and be careful in the same house. At ΔE 3.14 they are so close that two walls in each will read as a tinting mistake, not a design choice. Pick one, or keep them on different floors where they are never seen together.
Ask a Question