Essex Grey
HGSW 1485 · #A7A8A2 · LRV 38 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Pewter Green12
- 2Retreat21
- 3Essex Grey38
- 4Stardew43
- 5Sea Salt63
What Color Is Essex Grey, Really?
Essex Grey reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 1485 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Essex Grey
Essex Grey 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 Essex Grey
Essex Grey sits in the mid-range at LRV 38, 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 Essex Grey 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 HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 1485 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 | Gray MattersSW 7066 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.0 | 39 | Color page → |
| Behr | Silver Gray6694 · Behr | 1.3 | 39 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Platinum GrayHC-179 · Benjamin Moore | 0.3 | 40 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Classic GrayscaleV121-2 · Valspar | 0.8 | 38.4 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Statue GardenPPG0996-3 · PPG / Glidden | 1.8 | 39 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Statue GardenPPG0996-3 · Glidden | 1.8 | 39 | Color page → |
Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Essex Grey within HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams'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 #A7A8A2 in HSL space. Pair Essex Grey with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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