Color spec
| Brand | Clare |
| Name | Penthouse |
| SKU | Clare 09 |
| Hex | #5C5C5A |
| RGB | 92, 92, 90 |
| HSL | 60°, 1%, 36% |
| LRV | 11 |
| Undertone | neutral with no strong undertone |
| Family | Gray |
What Color Is Penthouse, Really?
Penthouse (Clare 09) is a mid-charcoal gray. Its measured makeup is almost pure neutral: saturation sits at about 1 percent, so there is no real color pushing through, just a deep, even gray with the faintest warm-gray lean you would only catch next to a cooler blue-gray. The hex is #5C5C5A, and the LRV of 11 puts it firmly in the dark band, dark enough to read as a soft, smoky charcoal rather than a true black.
Clare positions it as its flagship mid-charcoal for sophisticated rooms, and that is the draw. It gives you the depth and drama of a near-black without going flat or heavy, and because it stays neutral it does not fight the wood, metal, or fabric already in a space.
It suits people who want one confident dark color that behaves, whether on a moody bedroom wall, a set of cabinets, or a front door.
Penthouse is about as close to a true neutral as a gray gets. Its saturation measures roughly 1 percent, which in plain terms means there is no meaningful color underneath, no blue, no green, no violet. What little lean exists sits on the warm side of gray, so against a cool steel-blue it can look a touch warmer, and against a warm brown it can look a touch cooler. That is normal for a near-neutral: it borrows from whatever sits beside it.
Because it has no strong undertone to trip over, it is a forgiving pick, but you should still test it. Paint a large sample and stand it next to your trim white, your flooring, and any big piece of upholstery. Look at it in both daylight and lamplight. The only surprise to watch for is that a warm bulb can nudge the faint warm lean forward, while flat north light can make it read as a cleaner, colder charcoal.
Best Rooms and Uses for Penthouse
An LRV of 11 makes Penthouse a statement and contrast color, not a whole-home light neutral. On full walls it works best where you want a cocooning, enveloping feel: a bedroom, a study, a media room, or a powder room where drama is welcome and you are not relying on the walls to bounce light around.
It is a strong accent choice too. Use it on a single feature wall, on built-ins and bookcases, or on the lower half of a two-tone wall under a pale white top. Cabinets are one of its best jobs; a kitchen island or a run of lowers in Penthouse reads as sophisticated without the starkness of black.
Outside, it holds up as a front door color, on shutters, or on the whole body of a modern home where a soft charcoal is wanted instead of true black. As trim it is too dark for most interiors but can frame a light-bodied exterior nicely.
How Lighting Changes Penthouse
With an LRV of 11, Penthouse reflects very little light, so the room's exposure matters more than it would for a pale color. In a north-facing room, where the light is cool and steady, it will look its darkest and coolest, closer to a slate charcoal. Give it strong south light and it opens up, showing more of its soft gray body and looking less severe through the middle of the day.
East rooms get warm morning light that softens it, then cooler afternoons that deepen it. West rooms flip that, staying muted in the morning and glowing warmer at dusk.
Bulb choice is your main lever. Warm 2700K bulbs bring out the faint warm lean and keep the room inviting, which is usually what you want with a dark wall. Cooler 4000K bulbs push it toward a harder, grayer charcoal. In any low-light room, add lamps, because a color this dark will swallow a single overhead fixture.
Most complaints about Penthouse 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Penthouse vs Similar Colors
Clare's own deep neutrals show where Penthouse sits. Blackest (PNT100-DP-55), hex #515052 at LRV 8, is a few steps darker and reads closer to a soft black; choose it when you want the wall to feel nearly black and Penthouse when you want to still see it as a gray.
Coffee Date (PNT100-DP-53), #726460 at LRV 14, is a clear warm greige-brown by comparison. Side by side, Penthouse looks cleaner and more neutral, so pick Coffee Date if you want visible warmth and Penthouse if you want the depth without the brown.
Goodnight Moon (PNT100-DP-42), #545E66 at LRV 11, shares almost the same darkness but leans blue-gray. In a north room that cool cast is obvious, so go with Goodnight Moon for a slate feel and Penthouse when you want a dark that stays truly neutral and does not commit to blue.
Colors That Go With Penthouse
For crisp trim and ceilings, reach for a clean white with plenty of contrast. Snow Day (Clare 04), at LRV 92, is the brightest option and makes the charcoal snap. If you want something softer and warmer against the gray, White Light (Clare 03), LRV 86, or Beach House (Clare 01), LRV 84, both hold up well.
For a second wall color or an adjacent room, Greige (Clare 07) at LRV 50 and Mainstay (Clare 05) at LRV 65 keep the palette in the same calm, neutral lane while adding light.
For accents, Avocado Toast (Clare 08), a muted green at LRV 35, and Skinny Dip (Clare 12), a soft teal at LRV 47, both sit comfortably against a neutral charcoal. If you want a bolder pop, Bowie (Clare 21), a deep red at LRV 8, works on a door or in textiles. Warm woods like walnut or oak and either brass or matte black metals all pair naturally with Penthouse.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Clare Clare 09 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Clare colors
closest in the Clare deckThe nearest shades to Penthouse within Clare's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #5C5C5A in HSL space. Pair Penthouse with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Penthouse warm or cool?
Penthouse is a near-neutral charcoal with only the faintest warm lean. Its saturation measures about 1 percent, so it has no strong undertone in either direction. Next to a cool blue-gray it will look slightly warm, and next to a warm brown it will look slightly cool. In most rooms it simply reads as a balanced, even gray.
Is Penthouse more gray than brown?
Yes. Penthouse is a true gray charcoal, not a brown. Any warmth in it is very slight, nothing like a greige or taupe. If you want visible brown warmth in the same darkness range, Clare's Coffee Date (PNT100-DP-53), at LRV 14, is the browner choice. Penthouse stays cleaner and more neutral on the wall.
What trim white goes with Penthouse?
For the crispest contrast, pair Penthouse with Snow Day (Clare 04), a bright white at LRV 92. If you prefer a softer, warmer frame around the charcoal, White Light (Clare 03) at LRV 86 or Beach House (Clare 01) at LRV 84 both work well. All three give enough light-to-dark contrast to keep the trim reading clearly.
Does Penthouse work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes to both. On cabinets, especially a kitchen island or lower cabinets, Penthouse gives a sophisticated dark look without the harshness of true black. Outside, it works as a front door, shutter, or whole-body color for a modern home wanting a soft charcoal. Because it is neutral, it coordinates easily with stone, wood, and metal fixtures.
What does an LRV of 11 mean for Penthouse in practice?
An LRV of 11 means Penthouse reflects only about 11 percent of the light hitting it, so it is a genuinely dark color. It will make a room feel cozy and enveloping rather than bright. Plan for good daylight or warm lamps, since a color this dark absorbs most of a single overhead light and can feel flat in a dim room.
How is Penthouse different from Blackest?
Blackest (PNT100-DP-55) sits at LRV 8, a few steps darker than Penthouse at LRV 11, and reads much closer to a soft black. Penthouse still shows as a charcoal gray, while Blackest nearly reads as black on the wall. Choose Blackest when you want the deepest possible near-black, and Penthouse when you want drama that still looks gray.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Penthouse behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY PENTHOUSE ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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