Hancock Gray
HC-97 · #968D70 · LRV 27 — warm yellow tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Roycroft Brass15
- 2Anonymous20
- 3Hancock Gray27
- 4Mindful Gray48
- 5Revere Pewter55
What Color Is Hancock Gray, Really?
Hancock Gray reads as a warm yellow tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore HC-97 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Hancock Gray
Hancock Gray is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
How Lighting Changes Hancock Gray
Hancock Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 27, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its yellow undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Hancock 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 Benjamin Moore HC-97 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 | Renwick OliveSW 2815 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.5 | 25 | Color page → |
| Behr | Urban SafariPPU8-04 · Behr | 1.3 | 26 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Sweet Carolina5008-2A · Valspar | 2.1 | 26.3 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Alligator Pear70YY 25/200 · Glidden | 3.5 | 25 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Stone Cottage421-4DB · Dutch Boy | 3.5 | 28 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Lodgepole PineHGSW 3213 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 4.3 | 26 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Hancock Gray within Benjamin Moore'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 #968D70 in HSL space. Pair Hancock Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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