Sherwin-Williams Agreeable GrayvsSherwin-Williams Anew Gray
Why this comparison: Same SW greige strip one step apart — Anew Gray is the next shade darker, so this is a depth call, not an undertone call. Agreeable Gray and Anew Gray are close but distinct (ΔE 5.47). Visible difference on the wall, especially in flat daylight.
Built from our full reviews of both colors — same measured data, same real-room photos. About the testing process →
The Numbers
Agreeable Gray is meaningfully lighter (LRV 60 vs 47). On a wall, Agreeable Gray reads light, airy; Anew Gray reads mid-tone.
What Each Color Really Is
A warm gray built on a taupe base, not a beige one — and that distinction explains almost everything about how it behaves. Beige-based neutrals carry yellow, so they stay warm no matter what the light does. Agreeable Gray carries a soft brown-violet instead, which is why it reads gray first and warm second, and why the warmth can switch off when the light turns cool. Sherwin-Williams sells it as the agreeable one because it refuses to commit to an undertone, and that refusal is both the reason it goes on more American walls than almost any other color and the reason a small share of people hate it.
At LRV 60 it reflects a bit more than half the light that lands on it, which puts it in the mid-light band — light enough to open a room, not light enough to act as a bright neutral. The number looks close to Revere Pewter (HC-172) at 56, but on a wall the gap feels bigger than four points because Revere Pewter also carries green and reads a full step heavier and more traditional. Put Agreeable Gray beside a real off-white like Alabaster (SW 7008) at LRV 82 and the comparison is honest: this is a color, not a pale wash, and it will hold visible shadow in corners and behind furniture.
A warm greige built on the red-orange side of the wheel, not the yellow side — and that one fact explains everything people love and hate about it. The hex is #BDB3A1, a muddy warm tan, and the color sits in the yellow-red hue family with very little saturation behind it. Low-chroma warm colors have nothing to hold them steady, so when the light turns cool the beige drains out and what is left reads mauve. That is the purple people report on their walls and cabinets. There is no violet pigment in the can; there is just a warm color with no reserves.
At LRV 47 it reflects a moderate amount of light, and the honest comparison is its own strip: Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) sits at LRV 60, a full 13 points brighter, directly above Anew Gray on the same card. That gap is bigger in a room than it sounds on paper. Expect Anew Gray to land a clear step darker on four walls than it looked on the chip — light bounces between painted walls and gets absorbed each time, so corners read heavier than the swatch ever did. Most complaints that start "it's too dark" are really this.
Specs Side by Side
| Spec | Agreeable Gray | Anew Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams | Sherwin-Williams |
| SKU | SW 7029 | SW 7030 |
| Hex | #D1CBC1 | #BFB6AA |
| RGB | 209, 203, 193 | 191, 182, 170 |
| LRV | 60 | 47 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral | Neutral |
How Light Changes Them
Warms up and looks its softest and lightest. Can wash toward a pale beige at midday — most people love it anyway.
The warmth drains out. Gray, sometimes violet, often just dingy. Sample this room first — or go warmer.
2700K lamps push it cozy and beige. 4000K daylight bulbs pull the gray out and can trigger the violet. Swap bulbs before you repaint.
One color, two rooms, two looks: warm and beige by the south windows, gray and cool in the shaded corner. Fine if you expect it, jarring if you don't.
Warm steady sun cancels the violet completely and it reads as rich, calm greige all day.
Cool flat daylight drains the warmth: muddy taupe, sometimes mauve. Sample for a full week.
3000K lamps: warm and cozy. 3500K and cooler: the purple shows up. Change bulbs, not paint.
Exterior sun lifts it several steps — warm stone siding with zero undertone drama.
Both Colors in Real Rooms
Photos from our full reviews — the same rooms and captions, so you can judge each color where it actually lives, not on a chip.
When to Pick Which
Whole-house flow in rooms with real daylight · open-plan main floors · kitchen and bath cabinets with brass or matte black · anyone who thinks beige is too yellow and gray is too cold
Your room is north-facing and dim · your trim or cabinets are cream · your tile, counters or flooring lean cool violet-gray · you want a wall color with an actual opinion
South and west rooms with real sun · homes with honey oak floors, trim or cabinets · exterior siding with white trim · anyone who found Agreeable Gray too pale
Your room faces north and stays dim · you are painting a windowless basement · your LED bulbs are 3500K or cooler · your floors are cool blue-gray LVP
No comparison page can see your light. Upload one photo of your room and try both colors on the same walls, seconds apart.
Agreeable Gray vs Anew Gray FAQ
Which is lighter, Agreeable Gray or Anew Gray?
Agreeable Gray is lighter: LRV 60 vs 47. Agreeable Gray is meaningfully lighter (LRV 60 vs 47). On a wall, Agreeable Gray reads light, airy; Anew Gray reads mid-tone.
Which is warmer, Agreeable Gray or Anew Gray?
They share the same undertone family — both read red-orange / warm. The difference between them is lightness and depth, not temperature.
How similar are Agreeable Gray and Anew Gray?
Agreeable Gray and Anew Gray are close but distinct (ΔE 5.47). Visible difference on the wall, especially in flat daylight. The only reliable test is seeing both in your own room and light — a side-by-side on a screen or chip flattens the difference.
Can I use Agreeable Gray and Anew Gray together in one house?
Yes, in separate rooms. They are close enough to feel related but different enough to notice, so give each its own room and connect them with a shared trim white. Avoid putting them on adjoining walls.
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