Steely Gaze
PPG0996-2 · #CCCBC9 · LRV 60 — neutral with no strong undertone, light — bounces daylight without going clinical.
- 1Stardew43
- 2Quietude48
- 3Steely Gaze60
- 4Gray Owl65
- 5Glass Slipper70
What Color Is Steely Gaze, Really?
Steely Gaze reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — light — bounces daylight without going clinical. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG0996-2 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Steely Gaze
Steely Gaze is an easy whole-room color for living spaces and bedrooms, and light enough to carry onto trim or a ceiling if you want a soft, seamless look. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Steely Gaze
At LRV 60, Steely Gaze is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Most complaints about Steely Gaze 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 PPG0996-2 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 | PassiveSW 7064 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.3 | 60 | Color page → |
| Behr | Mexican SilverQE-49 · Behr | 1.1 | 60 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Cement Gray2112-60 · Benjamin Moore | 0.2 | 60 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Gray Morn8006-11B · Valspar | 1.1 | 59 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Steely GazePPG0996-2 · Glidden | 0.2 | 60 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Moon Beam438-2DB · Dutch Boy | 1.3 | 60 | Color page → |
Similar PPG / Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Steely Gaze 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 #CCCBC9 in HSL space. Pair Steely Gaze with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Have you painted with Steely Gaze?
Rate it — one tap helps the next reader decide.
Ask a Question