Color spec
| Brand | PPG / Glidden |
| Name | Limited Gray |
| SKU | PPG1010-3 |
| Hex | #C7C5BC |
| RGB | 199, 197, 188 |
| HSL | 49°, 9%, 76% |
| LRV | 56 |
| Undertone | warm yellow tone |
| Family | Neutral |
What Color Is Limited Gray, Really?
Limited Gray (PPG1010-3) is a soft, mid-light neutral that reads as a warm gray, or greige, on most walls. Its numbers tell the honest story: a very low 9 percent saturation means there is barely any color in it, but the small amount it carries sits in the yellow range, so it stays warm and easygoing instead of cold or steely. With a light value of 76 and an LRV of 56, it bounces a good amount of daylight without turning stark white.
PPG positions it as the brand's answer to the popular light greiges people ask for by name, which is why it shows up so often on whole-house paint lists.
It suits homes that want a calm, flexible backdrop that flatters wood floors, white trim, and mixed decor. If you like gray but find true grays too cold, Limited Gray is the softer, more forgiving version.
On paper Limited Gray sits in the yellow hue range, but with saturation at just 9 percent it is near-neutral. That means it behaves like a plain warm gray in most rooms, with only a slight lean rather than an obvious color cast. You will not see yellow the way you would in a true tan or beige. What you get is a quiet warmth that keeps the gray from feeling clinical.
The lean shows up most where it has something cleaner to sit against. Put it next to a bright white trim like Pure White (PPG1001-1) and the soft greige warmth reads clearly. Set it beside a warm cream and it can look cooler and grayer by comparison.
To judge it honestly, tape a large sample next to your trim, your flooring, and a pure white card. The card is the key test. If Limited Gray looks faintly tan against crisp white, that is the yellow undertone doing its job.
Best Rooms and Uses for Limited Gray
At an LRV of 56, Limited Gray is a versatile mid-tone that works best as a whole-room wall color rather than a statement or a bright white. It has enough light to keep rooms open in living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and open-plan spaces, while its warmth stops it from feeling cold in north light.
It is a strong cabinet color when you want soft contrast against white counters or backsplash without going stark. On trim it is usually too dark to separate cleanly from mid-tone walls, so pair it with a lighter white for crisp trim lines instead.
Outside, this kind of light warm gray works well on siding for a calm, current look, with white trim and a saturated front door. Because it holds a fair amount of light, keep in mind it can look brighter and washed on a sunny exterior wall than it does indoors.
How Lighting Changes Limited Gray
With an LRV of 56, Limited Gray is squarely mid-range, so it moves noticeably with the light instead of staying fixed. It reflects enough daylight to feel airy in bright rooms and can deepen toward a true mid gray in dim ones.
In north-facing rooms, which get cool, indirect light, the warmth is welcome and keeps the color from going flat or bluish. South-facing rooms flood it with warm light for much of the day, which pushes it lighter and brings out the greige side. East light reads fresh and slightly cooler in the morning, while west rooms warm up and glow in late afternoon.
Bulb choice matters just as much. Warm white bulbs around 2700K amplify the yellow lean and make it cozier. Cooler bulbs at 3500K or higher pull it back toward a plain gray. Always look at your sample at different times of day before committing.
Most complaints about Limited 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Limited Gray vs Similar Colors
Limited Gray (PPG1010-3, LRV 56) has close neighbors in PPG's own deck, and the differences are subtle but visible on a wall. Early Evening (PPG1006-3, LRV 57) is nearly the same value but reads a touch warmer and softer, making it the pick if you want the greige side to show a bit more. Limited Gray is slightly more neutral by comparison.
Silent Storm (PPG1033-3, LRV 55) goes the other way. At almost the same lightness it leans cooler and a hint greener, so it feels more like a true gray and less like a greige. Choose it if Limited Gray looks too warm against your finishes.
Silver Band (PPG0995-3, LRV 56) matches the light level closely but sits as a cleaner, more balanced gray with less obvious warmth. If you want the flexibility of a mid gray without any tan lean, Silver Band is the safer neutral, while Limited Gray keeps a friendlier, warmer feel.
Colors That Go With Limited Gray
For trim and ceilings, reach for a clean high-LRV white. Pure White (PPG1001-1) at LRV 88 gives crisp separation, while Antique White (PPG1015-2) at LRV 78 is a softer, warmer trim option that echoes the greige warmth if you want less contrast.
For a second wall color or a grounding tone, Chinchilla (PPG1001-4) at LRV 38 is a natural mid-gray step down, and Antique Silver (PPG1010-4) at LRV 36 comes from the same color line as Limited Gray, so they relate cleanly. Stone Beige (PPG1024-3) at LRV 49 leans the palette warmer if you prefer more of a tan direction.
For accents and a front door, Mariner Blue (PPG1162-7) at LRV 8 gives a deep, classic contrast, and Ivy League (PPG1130-7) at LRV 5 brings a near-black green. Both hold their own against the light walls. Natural oak and walnut, plus brass or matte black hardware, all sit comfortably with this greige.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint PPG / Glidden PPG1010-3 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar PPG / Glidden colors
closest in the PPG / Glidden deckThe nearest shades to Limited 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.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #C7C5BC in HSL space. Pair Limited 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Limited Gray warm or cool?
Limited Gray is a warm gray. Its measured undertone sits in the yellow range, though at only 9 percent saturation the warmth is gentle rather than obvious. In practice it reads as a soft greige that stays inviting in cool north light, without the cold, steely feel of a true gray. Warm bulbs make it cozier, cooler bulbs push it more neutral.
Is Limited Gray more gray or more beige?
It sits right between the two, which is why people call it greige. There is only a small amount of color in it, so it behaves mostly like a gray, but the warm yellow lean gives it a soft beige character next to bright white. Against a warm cream it will look grayer, and against a clean white it will look warmer.
What trim white goes with Limited Gray?
Pure White (PPG1001-1) at LRV 88 is the go-to. It is bright and clean enough to give crisp separation from the mid-tone walls and let the greige warmth show. If you want softer, less stark contrast, Antique White (PPG1015-2) at LRV 78 is a warmer trim white that keeps the palette gentle.
Does Limited Gray work on kitchen cabinets?
Yes. Its mid LRV of 56 gives soft contrast against white counters and backsplash without going stark, which reads as calm and current on cabinets. Pair it with a brighter white trim or ceiling and warm metal or matte black hardware. Test a door front in your actual kitchen light first, since cabinet fronts catch light differently than walls.
What does an LRV of 56 mean for Limited Gray?
LRV, or light reflectance value, runs from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 56, Limited Gray reflects a bit more than half the light that hits it, putting it in the mid-light range. It keeps rooms feeling open and airy without washing out, and it moves noticeably with the light, deepening in dim rooms and brightening in sunny ones.
How is Limited Gray different from Repose Gray?
PPG designed Limited Gray as its answer to that popular light greige, so the two are close in spirit: both are soft, mid-light warm grays meant to work whole-house. Limited Gray reads with a slightly warmer yellow lean rather than the greige purple-gray some people notice in the other. Always sample the actual PPG color, since screen and cross-brand matches are never exact.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Limited Gray behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY LIMITED GRAY ON YOUR ROOM →
Ask a Question