Gray Heron
PPG1033-5 · #8A938A · LRV 28 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Black Fox7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Gray Heron28
- 4Stardew43
- 5Upward57
What Color Is Gray Heron, Really?
Gray Heron reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG1033-5 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Gray Heron
Gray Heron 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 Gray Heron
Gray Heron sits in the mid-range at LRV 28, 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 Gray Heron 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 PPG1033-5 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 | Illusive GreenSW 9164 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.7 | 29 | Color page → |
| Behr | Underground GardensN420-4 · Behr | 2.7 | 29 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Stonybrook1566 · Benjamin Moore | 2.5 | 29 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Dusky Parakeet8004-30E · Valspar | 3.3 | 27 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Gray HeronPPG1033-5 · Glidden | 0.6 | 28 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Grayed Foundry426-6DB · Dutch Boy | 4.2 | 29 | Color page → |
Similar PPG / Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Gray Heron 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 #8A938A in HSL space. Pair Gray Heron with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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