Earl Gray
PPG1020-5 · #A6978A · LRV 32 — warm red-orange tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Anonymous20
- 2Bison Beige27
- 3Earl Gray32
- 4Revere Pewter55
- 5Agreeable Gray60
What Color Is Earl Gray, Really?
Earl Gray reads as a warm red-orange tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG1020-5 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Earl Gray
Earl 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.
How Lighting Changes Earl Gray
Earl Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 32, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its orange 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.
Most complaints about Earl 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.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint PPG / Glidden PPG1020-5 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 | Sticks & StonesSW 7503 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.6 | 31 | Color page → |
| Behr | Studio TaupePPU5-07 · Behr | 0.5 | 32 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Waynesboro Taupe1544 · Benjamin Moore | 2.1 | 33 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Chocolate OatmealT575 · Valspar | 2.8 | 32.7 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Earl GrayPPG1020-5 · Glidden | 0.0 | 32 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Dusky Gray439-3DB · Dutch Boy | 3.7 | 32 | Color page → |
Similar PPG / Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Earl Gray within PPG / Glidden'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 #A6978A in HSL space. Pair Earl Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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