Color spec
| Brand | HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Serious Gray |
| SKU | HGSW 6256 |
| Hex | #7D848B |
| RGB | 125, 132, 139 |
| HSL | 210°, 6%, 52% |
| LRV | 23 |
| Undertone | blue / cool |
| Family | Gray |
About HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Serious Gray
With an LRV of 23, Serious Gray is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Serious Gray works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. 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 each5 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.
Sherwin-Williams
C2 Paint
Dutch Boy
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Kompozit
PPG / Glidden
Clare
Behr
Diamond Vogel
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Backdrop
Farrow & Ball
Similar HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Serious 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.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #7D848B in HSL space. Pair Serious Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
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 Serious Gray Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Serious 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 6256 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Serious Gray
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Serious Gray is Serious Gray (SW 6256). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Serious Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Serious Gray swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Serious Gray
The closest C2 Paint equivalent of Serious Gray is Smoking Jacket (C2-984). At ΔE 0.88 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). If C2 Paint is your counter, order Smoking Jacket and you'll get the same color. See the full Smoking Jacket swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Serious Gray is Englewood Cliffs (1607) — very close at ΔE 2.09, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 23) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Englewood Cliffs swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Serious Gray is Refined Gray (435-5DB) — very close at ΔE 2.2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 23) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Refined Gray swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Kompozit, the closest color to Serious Gray is London Road (0527) — very close at ΔE 2.61, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 23) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full London Road swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Valspar, the closest color to Serious Gray is Sharkfin (4007-2A) — very close at ΔE 2.98, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23.6 vs 23) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Sharkfin swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Clare, the closest color to Serious Gray is Irony (PNT100-MD-16) — very close at ΔE 3.02, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 21 vs 23) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Irony swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Serious Gray is Slate Tint (0520) — very close at ΔE 3.12, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Slate Tint swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Serious Gray
At Behr, the closest color to Serious Gray is Legendary Gray (PPU26-03) — very close at ΔE 3.22, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 23) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Legendary Gray swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Serious Gray
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Serious Gray is Garrison Gray (PPG1039-5) — very close at ΔE 3.37, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Garrison Gray swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Serious Gray
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Serious Gray. The nearest is Winding Road (DEFD61) at ΔE 4.07 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 23 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Winding Road swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Serious Gray
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Serious Gray. The nearest is Teak Cups (JG-139) at ΔE 4.46 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 24 vs 23). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Teak Cups swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Serious Gray
Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Serious Gray — the nearest deck color, Polly Wants (BD-PW), is clearly different (ΔE 5.19). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 6256 instead. See the full Polly Wants swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Serious Gray
Farrow & Ball doesn't make a true equivalent of Serious Gray — the nearest deck color, Mole's Breath (NO. 276), is clearly different (ΔE 7.44). For an exact match, any Farrow & Ball retailer can custom-tint HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams HGSW 6256 instead. See the full Mole's Breath swatch →