Light Gray
DEC789 · #979D9A · LRV 31 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Black Fox7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Light Gray31
- 4Stardew43
- 5Palladian Blue60
What Color Is Light Gray, Really?
Light Gray reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DEC789 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Light Gray
Light 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 Light Gray
Light Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 31, 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 Light 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 Dunn-Edwards DEC789 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 | Earl GreySW 7660 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.3 | 32 | Color page → |
| Behr | Puddle790B-4 · Behr | 0.6 | 33 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Puritan GrayHC-164 · Benjamin Moore | 1.2 | 34 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Summer StormM346 · Valspar | 0.9 | 32.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Steel CurtainPPG0994-5 · PPG / Glidden | 1.8 | 34 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Greycliffe50GY 32/046 · Glidden | 2.0 | 32 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Light Gray within Dunn-Edwards'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 #979D9A in HSL space. Pair Light Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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