Color spec
| Brand | PPG / Glidden |
| Name | Sage Brush |
| SKU | PPG1125-4 |
| Hex | #9CA48E |
| RGB | 156, 164, 142 |
| HSL | 82°, 11%, 60% |
| LRV | 33 |
| Undertone | cool green tone |
| Family | Gray |
What Color Is Sage Brush, Really?
Sage Brush (PPG1125-4) is a soft, muted green that reads almost like a warm gray until the light catches it. The color sits at a hue of 82 degrees with only 11 percent saturation, so the green is quiet and dusty rather than vivid. With an LRV of 33, it lands in the mid-to-lower range, meaning it holds real color on a wall instead of washing out.
PPG built this shade as its answer to the sage-green trend, positioning it opposite Sherwin-Williams Sage and Benjamin Moore October Mist. That earthy, nature-borrowed feel is exactly why muted sages keep selling.
It suits homes going for a calm, organic look, from modern farmhouse to transitional, and anyone who wants green without a loud, saturated statement.
Sage Brush leans cool green, but with saturation at just 11 percent it is close to neutral with a soft lean rather than a true, punchy green. Think of it as a gray-green: the gray keeps it grounded, the green keeps it from feeling cold. In the can it can look grayer than you expect, then greener once it covers a full wall.
The undertone shows most on large surfaces and in cool, indirect light, where the green comes forward. Next to a warm cream or a beige, it reads clearly green. Next to a saturated grass green, it looks gray and restrained.
Test it against a clean white card and a true gray sample at the same time. That side-by-side tells you whether the green is reading the way you want in your specific room before you commit.
Best Rooms and Uses for Sage Brush
At an LRV of 33, Sage Brush is versatile but on the deeper side of mid-tone, so it carries a room with real color without going dark. It works well as full walls in bedrooms, living rooms, studies, and dining rooms, where its calm, organic feel is an asset. In smaller or low-light spaces it can feel enclosing, so it shines best where there is decent natural light or layered lamps.
It is a strong cabinet color, especially for kitchen islands, lower cabinets, and vanities, giving a soft green that pairs easily with wood and white counters. As an accent wall it adds depth without shouting.
Outdoors it suits siding, shutters, and garage doors on homes going for a natural, blended look. It also makes a quiet, welcoming front door against a lighter facade. As a trim color it is usually too deep, so keep trim lighter.
How Lighting Changes Sage Brush
With an LRV of 33, Sage Brush is a mid-tone that shifts noticeably with the light, so exposure matters. In north-facing rooms, the cool daylight pulls the green forward and can make it feel slightly grayer and moodier. South-facing rooms get the most sun, which warms the color and softens the green toward a gentle, dusty sage.
East-facing rooms read fresh and green in the morning, then settle grayer by afternoon. West-facing rooms do the reverse, staying muted early and warming up at sunset.
Bulb choice tips it too. Warm 2700K bulbs bring out the earthy, olive side and make the room cozier. Cooler 3500K to 4000K bulbs sharpen the green and keep it crisp. Because 33 is not a high LRV, the room will not bounce a lot of light, so pair it with good lighting in darker spaces.
Most complaints about Sage Brush 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 →Sage Brush vs Similar Colors
Edamame (PPG1030-4), at LRV 35, is very close but reads slightly warmer and a touch more yellow-green, so it feels a bit more olive in warm light. If you want the sage to lean garden-fresh rather than gray, Edamame is the pick; Sage Brush stays more muted and gray-leaning.
Zebra Grass (PPG1126-5), LRV 35, is another near neighbor with a marginally greener cast and the same light mid-tone weight. In most rooms the two are hard to tell apart until you see them side by side, where Zebra Grass shows a hair more color.
Smoky Slate (PPG1028-4), LRV 36, tips furthest toward gray of the three, with the least obvious green. Choose Smoky Slate when you want a color that mostly reads as a warm gray with only a whisper of sage, and Sage Brush when you want the green to be clearly, if quietly, present.
Colors That Go With Sage Brush
For trim and ceilings, Pure White (PPG1001-1), at an LRV of 88, gives a clean, bright frame that lets the green read as intentional. If you want a softer, warmer edge, Antique White (PPG1015-2), LRV 78, is a gentler off-white that leans creamy.
For a second wall color or a paired neutral, Stone Beige (PPG1024-3), LRV 49, brings a warm sand tone that plays to the earthy side of the sage. Chinchilla (PPG1001-4), LRV 38, is a close-value gray that keeps things tonal and calm.
For accent and contrast, Forest Trail (PPG1129-7), a deep green at LRV 7, deepens the same family for cabinets or a moody accent, while Mariner Blue (PPG1162-7), LRV 8, makes a handsome front door. Warm woods like oak and walnut and both brass and black metals all sit comfortably alongside Sage Brush.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint PPG / Glidden PPG1125-4 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 Sage Brush 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 #9CA48E in HSL space. Pair Sage Brush 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 Sage Brush warm or cool?
Sage Brush is technically a cool green, but with only 11 percent saturation it sits close to neutral, so it does not feel icy. In warm light and next to woods it can even read slightly earthy. Think of it as a balanced gray-green that leans cool without being cold, which is part of why it works in so many rooms.
Is Sage Brush more gray or more green?
It is both, which is the appeal. The green is real but muted, and the low saturation gives it a gray backbone. On a small chip it often looks grayer, then reads clearly green once it covers a full wall. Compared with its neighbors, it lands between a true gray and a clear sage, leaning gray-green overall.
What trim white goes with Sage Brush?
Pure White (PPG1001-1), with a high LRV of 88, is a clean, crisp trim white that makes the green look deliberate. If you prefer a warmer, softer frame, Antique White (PPG1015-2) at LRV 78 is a creamy off-white that suits the earthy side of Sage Brush. Keep trim lighter than the walls, since Sage Brush itself is too deep for trim.
Does Sage Brush work on kitchen cabinets?
Yes. At an LRV of 33 it has enough depth to give cabinets a soft, grounded green that pairs well with white counters, wood floors, and both brass and black hardware. It is a popular choice for islands, lower cabinets, and vanities. Pair it with a lighter white on perimeter cabinets or trim to keep the space from feeling heavy.
What does an LRV of 33 mean for Sage Brush?
LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 33, Sage Brush is a mid-to-lower tone that holds noticeable color and does not bounce a lot of light back into the room. Expect a cozy, grounded feel, and plan for good natural light or added lamps in darker spaces.
How is Sage Brush different from Edamame?
Edamame (PPG1030-4) is very close in value at LRV 35 but reads slightly warmer and more yellow-green, so it feels a touch more olive, especially in warm light. Sage Brush stays more muted and gray-leaning. Choose Edamame for a fresher garden green and Sage Brush when you want the green quieter and more neutral.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Sage Brush behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY SAGE BRUSH ON YOUR ROOM →
Ask a Question