Color guide · Dunn-Edwards · Neutral

Wells Gray

DE6242 · #B9B5A4 · LRV 43 · warm yellow tone

DE6242 · #B9B5A4 · LRV 43 — warm yellow tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.

Wells GrayDunn-Edwards · DE6242
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Wells Gray
DUNN-EDWARDS · DE6242 · #B9B5A4
Brand · codeDunn-EdwardsDE6242 · all Dunn-Edwards neutrals
LRV43Mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
Undertonewarm yellow tone
FamilyNeutral
Hex · RGB · HSL#B9B5A4 · 185, 181, 164 · 49°, 13%, 68%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Anonymous20
  2. 2Fawn Brindle36
  3. 3Wells Gray43
  4. 4Agreeable Gray60
  5. 5Pale Oak69
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Wells Gray, Really?

Wells Gray reads as a warm yellow tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE6242 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Wells Gray

Wells 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Wells Gray

Wells Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 43, 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Wells 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.

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Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DE6242 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors

The nearest shades to Wells 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.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Wells Gray · 10.2 : 1 · passes AA and AAAWhite text on Wells Gray · 2.1 : 1 · fails for text

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 #B9B5A4 in HSL space. Pair Wells Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#B9B5A4 + #A4A8B9
TRIADIC
#B9B5A4 · #A4B9B5 · #B5A4B9
ANALOGOUS
#B9ABA4 · #B9B5A4 · #B3B9A4

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Jessica Williams

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