CP
HGTV HOME BY SHERWIN-WILLIAMS · HGSW 3275

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Rare Gray#A6A69B · LRV 38

Rare Gray reads as a yellow / warm — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 3275 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

HGTV HOME BY SHERWIN-WILLIAMS RARE GRAY
RGB 166, 166, 155 LRV 38

Color spec

Brand HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Name Rare Gray
SKU HGSW 3275
Hex #A6A69B
RGB 166, 166, 155
HSL 60°, 6%, 63%
LRV 38
Undertone yellow / warm
Family Gray

About HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Rare Gray

Rare Gray 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.

Rare 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.

Closest matches at every US brand

14 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.

SW 6199 · #A6A69B · ΔE 0 · LRV 38
SW 2821 · #A6A397 · ΔE 1.68 · LRV 36
SW 7059 · #A3A7A0 · ΔE 2.46 · LRV 38
SW 9648 · #A7A796 · ΔE 2.55 · LRV 38
SW 7024 · #ABA39A · ΔE 4.67 · LRV 37

Behr

5,644 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.59
All gray at Behr →
PPU25-05 · #A8A89D · ΔE 0.59 · LRV 39
N370-4A · #A7A699 · ΔE 0.92 · LRV 38
HDC-NT-01 · #A5A495 · ΔE 1.82 · LRV 37
PPU10-16 · #A7A897 · ΔE 2.7 · LRV 38
PPU24-18 · #A5A6A1 · ΔE 2.83 · LRV 38

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.13
All gray at Valspar →
V145-3 · #A8A89F · ΔE 1.13 · LRV 38.7
V118-2 · #A9A8A2 · ΔE 2.68 · LRV 38.9
V121-2 · #A7A7A2 · ΔE 2.93 · LRV 38.4
8006-2E · #A8A298 · ΔE 3.44 · LRV 37
4003-1C · #A9A39D · ΔE 4.61 · LRV 37.2

Kompozit

1,321 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.19
All gray at Kompozit →
0421 · #A7A89B · ΔE 1.19 · LRV 39
0574 · #A5A39A · ΔE 1.71 · LRV 37
0568 · #A6A096 · ΔE 3.63 · LRV 35
0561 · #AEA69B · ΔE 4.27 · LRV 39
0372 · #ADA791 · ΔE 4.79 · LRV 39

Diamond Vogel

1,386 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.23
All gray at Diamond Vogel →
0574 · #A8A79E · ΔE 1.23 · LRV 38
0449 · #9DA39A · ΔE 3.13 · LRV 36
0568 · #A9A39A · ΔE 3.61 · LRV 37
0205 · #AAA193 · ΔE 4.64 · LRV 36
0218 · #ABA296 · ΔE 4.7 · LRV 37

C2 Paint

580 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.33
All gray at C2 Paint →
C2-957 · #A7A799 · ΔE 1.33 · LRV 38
C2-988 · #A8A9A1 · ΔE 1.65 · LRV 39
C2-797 · #AAA599 · ΔE 2.54 · LRV 38
C2-908 · #A6A290 · ΔE 3.39 · LRV 36
C2-925 · #A5A38F · ΔE 3.8 · LRV 36

Benjamin Moore

3,934 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.6
All gray at Benjamin Moore →
1482 · #A4A79E · ΔE 1.6 · LRV 38
HC-179 · #A8A9A3 · ΔE 2.51 · LRV 40
HC-105 · #A8A295 · ΔE 3.16 · LRV 37
CSP-140 · #AAA393 · ΔE 3.75 · LRV 37
CSP-200 · #AEA497 · ΔE 5.07 · LRV 38

PPG / Glidden

2,132 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.73
All gray at PPG / Glidden →
PPG1007-4 · #AAA89F · ΔE 1.73 · LRV 39
PPG1031-3 · #A6A897 · ΔE 2.88 · LRV 38
PPG14-28 · #AAA593 · ΔE 3.43 · LRV 38
PPG1010-4 · #A5A8A5 · ΔE 3.95 · LRV 39
PPG0996-3 · #A8A8A5 · ΔE 4.03 · LRV 39

Dunn-Edwards

2,298 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.82
All gray at Dunn-Edwards →
DET512 · #A5A495 · ΔE 1.82 · LRV 37
DEGR46 · #ABA8A1 · ΔE 2.91 · LRV 39
DEGR33 · #A8A295 · ΔE 3.16 · LRV 36
DE6291 · #9DA7A0 · ΔE 4.7 · LRV 35
DEGR04 · #A9A29B · ΔE 4.78 · LRV 37

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.04
All gray at Backdrop →
BD-NU · #A4A89F · ΔE 2.04 · LRV 38
BD-LF · #A4AB95 · ΔE 5.79 · LRV 35
BD-CT · #A89E8A · ΔE 5.84 · LRV 33
BD-AN · #A89886 · ΔE 8.54 · LRV 33
BD-UD · #A4B5BB · ΔE 10.71 · LRV 41

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.55
All gray at Magnolia Home →
JG-15 · #A7A9A3 · ΔE 2.55 · LRV 39
JG-137 · #A3A7A1 · ΔE 2.79 · LRV 38
JG-114 · #AAA497 · ΔE 3.04 · LRV 37
JG-118 · #ACA9A3 · ΔE 3.43 · LRV 40
JG-110 · #B5A89A · ΔE 6.6 · LRV 40

Farrow & Ball

209 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.4
All gray at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 5 · #B2ADA0 · ΔE 3.4 · LRV 42
NO. 265 · #9EA09D · ΔE 4.23 · LRV 35
NO. 17 · #AFA592 · ΔE 5.3 · LRV 38
NO. 19 · #A1A189 · ΔE 5.49 · LRV 35
NO. 6 · #B3A28E · ΔE 8.23 · LRV 37

Dutch Boy

1,340 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.45
All gray at Dutch Boy →
437-3DB · #A4A4A0 · ΔE 3.45 · LRV 37
423-3DB · #ABA793 · ΔE 3.84 · LRV 38
440-3DB · #AEA597 · ΔE 4.52 · LRV 38
442-4DB · #ABA39A · ΔE 4.67 · LRV 37
443-3DB · #ADA295 · ΔE 5.61 · LRV 37

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 7.34
All gray at Clare →
PNT100-DP-78 · #99AAA4 · ΔE 7.34 · LRV 38
PNT100-LT-15 · #9CA2A7 · ΔE 8.49 · LRV 36
PNT100-MD-43 · #9AB0AB · ΔE 9.17 · LRV 41
PNT100-MD-58 · #8EA992 · ΔE 11.5 · LRV 36
PNT100-LT-38 · #90A6AE · ΔE 11.71 · LRV 36

Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams colors

closest in the HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams deck

The nearest shades to Rare Gray 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.

HGSW 1505 · LRV 38
HGSW 7059 · LRV 38
HGSW 2465 · LRV 37
HGSW 1485 · LRV 38
HGSW 7066 · LRV 38
HGSW 3475 · LRV 39

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #A6A69B in HSL space. Pair Rare Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#A6A69B + #9B9BA6
TRIADIC
#A6A69B · #9BA6A6 · #A69BA6
ANALOGOUS
#A6A19B · #A6A69B · #A1A69B

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
2.46:1 fail
Sample text on black
8.55:1 AAA

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

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Rare Gray Equivalents at Other Brands

Matching Rare Gray from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 3275 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.

Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Rare Gray

The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Rare Gray is Rare Gray (SW 6199). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm yellow undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Rare Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Rare Gray swatch →

Behr Equivalent of Rare Gray

The closest Behr equivalent of Rare Gray is Historical Gray (N370-4A). At ΔE 0.92 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm yellow undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38). If Behr is your counter, order Historical Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Historical Gray swatch →

Valspar Equivalent of Rare Gray

Valspar's nearest match is Building Block (V145-3), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.13). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 38.7 vs 38) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Rare Gray without repainting risk. See the full Building Block swatch →

Kompozit Equivalent of Rare Gray

Kompozit's nearest match is Silverado Ranch (0421), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.19). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 39 vs 38) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Rare Gray without repainting risk. See the full Silverado Ranch swatch →

Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Rare Gray

Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Shark Fin (0574), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.23). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Rare Gray without repainting risk. See the full Shark Fin swatch →

C2 Paint Equivalent of Rare Gray

C2 Paint's nearest match is Bramble (C2-957), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.33). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Rare Gray without repainting risk. See the full Bramble swatch →

Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Rare Gray

Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Sabre Gray (1482), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.6). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Rare Gray without repainting risk. See the full Sabre Gray swatch →

Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Rare Gray

Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Whale Watching (DET512), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.82). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 37 vs 38) and carries a warm yellow undertone, so it substitutes for Rare Gray without repainting risk. See the full Whale Watching swatch →

Backdrop Equivalent of Rare Gray

At Backdrop, the closest color to Rare Gray is Nuevo (BD-NU) — very close at ΔE 2.04, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Nuevo swatch →

PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Rare Gray

At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Rare Gray is Wandering Willow (PPG1031-3) — very close at ΔE 2.88, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 38 vs 38) and carries a warm yellow undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Wandering Willow swatch →

Magnolia Home Equivalent of Rare Gray

At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Rare Gray is Quaint Cottage (JG-114) — very close at ΔE 3.04, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 37 vs 38) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Quaint Cottage swatch →

Dutch Boy Equivalent of Rare Gray

Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Rare Gray. The nearest is Quarry Lane (442-4DB) at ΔE 4.67 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 37 vs 38). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Quarry Lane swatch →

Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Rare Gray

Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Rare Gray — the nearest deck color, Light Gray (NO. 17), is clearly different (ΔE 5.3). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 3275 instead. See the full Light Gray swatch →

Clare Equivalent of Rare Gray

Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Rare Gray — the nearest deck color, Mellow Mood (PNT100-DP-78), is clearly different (ΔE 7.34). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 3275 instead. See the full Mellow Mood swatch →

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