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DUNN-EDWARDS · DEC789

Dunn-Edwards Light Gray#979D9A · LRV 33

Light Gray reads as a true neutral (no measurable hue) — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Dunn-Edwards DEC789 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

SEE IN A ROOM → CALCULATE PAINT NEEDED →
DUNN-EDWARDS LIGHT GRAY
RGB 151, 157, 154 LRV 33

Color spec

Brand Dunn-Edwards
Name Light Gray
SKU DEC789
Hex #979D9A
RGB 151, 157, 154
HSL 150°, 3%, 60%
LRV 33
Undertone true neutral (no measurable hue)
Family Gray

About Dunn-Edwards Light Gray

Light Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 33, 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.

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.

Kompozit alternative

The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.

KOMPOZIT
Smoky Tone
SKU 0541 · #9D9E9D · LRV 34
ΔE 3.04 (close)
SHOP KOMPOZIT ON AMAZON →

Closest matches at every US brand

9 brands · top 5 each

5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.

Behr

4,699 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.64
All gray at Behr →
790B-4
#969D9B
Puddle
ΔE 0.64 · LRV 33
N140-4
#969A9B
Tavern Taupe
ΔE 2.76 · LRV 32
MQ6-22
#9E9E9D
Gateway Gray
ΔE 3.56 · LRV 34
HDC-NT-10A
#999998
Dolphin Gray
ΔE 3.57 · LRV 32
N500-4
#999DA0
Pencil Sketch
ΔE 3.79 · LRV 33

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.87
All gray at Valspar →
M346
#959C98
Summer Storm
ΔE 0.87 · LRV 32.3
V140-4
#969B96
Pipe Dream
ΔE 1.23 · LRV 32.3
V116-2
#959C9C
Made in the Shade
ΔE 1.65 · LRV 32.5
V120-2
#9A9B97
Still Life in Gray
ΔE 2.46 · LRV 32.5
T688
#989B93
Barrister Gray
ΔE 2.74 · LRV 32.3

Benjamin Moore

3,934 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.23
All gray at Benjamin Moore →
HC-164
#979F9B
Puritan Gray
ΔE 1.23 · LRV 34
1600
#9A9F9E
Gray Cardigan
ΔE 1.49 · LRV 35
2121-30
#979C9F
Pewter
ΔE 3.56 · LRV 34
2122-30
#8F9D9E
Cloudy Sky
ΔE 3.66 · LRV
CSP-735
#919E97
Sea Glass
ΔE 3.9 · LRV

Sherwin-Williams

1,526 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.31
All gray at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 7660
#969A96
Earl Grey
ΔE 1.31 · LRV 32
SW 9132
#969C92
Acacia Haze
ΔE 3.49 · LRV 32
SW 9161
#959BA0
Dustblu
ΔE 4.52 · LRV 32
SW 7673
#9B9893
Pewter Cast
ΔE 4.65 · LRV 32
SW 9133
#8D9E97
Jasper Stone
ΔE 5.27 · LRV 32

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.26
All gray at Magnolia Home →
JG-94
#929898
Times Past
ΔE 2.26 · LRV 31
JG-84
#91A1A4
Display
ΔE 4.69 · LRV 34
JG-75
#97A399
Clean Slate
ΔE 4.74 · LRV 35
JG-135
#A19C96
Watering Can
ΔE 5.59 · LRV 34
JG-69
#879B98
Well Watered
ΔE 5.87 · LRV 31

Farrow & Ball

132 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.52
All gray at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 265
#A2A29D
Manor House Gray
ΔE 3.52 · LRV 36
NO. 85
#8B9D9B
Oval Room Blue
ΔE 4.94 · LRV 32
NO. 25
#A1A093
Pigeon
ΔE 5.47 · LRV 35
NO. 19
#A1A189
Lichen
ΔE 9.06 · LRV 35
NO. 243
#9F9389
Charleston Gray
ΔE 9.37 · LRV 30

PPG / Glidden

2,088 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.86
All gray at PPG / Glidden →
1036-4
#919FA1
After The Storm
ΔE 3.86 · LRV 33
1011-4
#989FA3
Ufo
ΔE 3.9 · LRV 34
1034-5
#8C9FA0
Aqua Smoke
ΔE 5.26 · LRV 33
1136-5
#91A49D
Spruce Shade
ΔE 6 · LRV 35
1037-4
#8FA0A7
Symmetry
ΔE 6.01 · LRV 34

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.24
All gray at Clare →
PNT100-MD-14
#91928C
Shade
ΔE 4.24 · LRV 28
PNT100-LT-15
#9CA2A7
Set In Stone
ΔE 4.81 · LRV 36
PNT100-DP-78
#99AAA4
Mellow Mood
ΔE 5.9 · LRV 38
PNT100-LT-38
#90A6AE
Good Jeans
ΔE 7.5 · LRV 36
PNT100-LT-32
#9C9CA7
Cosmic Vibes
ΔE 8.7 · LRV 34

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.46
All gray at Backdrop →
BD-NU
#A4A89F
Nuevo
ΔE 4.46 · LRV 38
BD-PW
#7C8E97
Polly Wants
ΔE 8.8 · LRV 27
BD-LF
#A4AB95
Le Freak
ΔE 9.04 · LRV 35
BD-CT
#A89E8A
Carry the Two
ΔE 9.71 · LRV 33
BD-AN
#A89886
Anita
ΔE 11.37 · LRV 33

Similar Dunn-Edwards colors

closest in the Dunn-Edwards deck

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.

DE6368
Walrus
LRV 33
DE6326
Soft Pumice
LRV 33
DE6312
Dusty Dream
LRV 35
DEC781
Sycamore Stand
LRV 33
DE6319
Gray Flannel
LRV 31
DE6347
Shining Knight
LRV 34

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.

COMPLEMENTARY
#979D9A + #9D979A
TRIADIC
#979D9A · #9A979D · #9D9A97
ANALOGOUS
#979D97 · #979D9A · #979D9D

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
2.76:1 fail
Sample text on black
7.61:1 AAA

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

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