Sherwin-Williams Agreeable GrayvsSherwin-Williams Colonnade Gray
Why this comparison: Two SW greiges homeowners shortlist together; Colonnade Gray leans cooler and grayer where Agreeable stays warm. Agreeable Gray and Colonnade Gray are very close (ΔE 2.76). The difference shows up most in side-by-side comparison and under specific light.
Built from our full reviews of both colors — same measured data, same real-room photos. About the testing process →
The Numbers
Agreeable Gray is slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 53, 7-point delta).
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.
Colonnade Gray (SW 7641) is a warm greige with hex value #C6C0B6 and an LRV of 53. That number puts it just above the middle of the light scale, so it returns about half the light that reaches it. The result is a wall color that stays light without being pale, and holds its color instead of bleaching out. The hue sits at 37 degrees with 12 percent saturation, which is a beige base pulled most of the way toward gray.
It gets picked when a lighter greige has proved too weak. In a bright room, very pale neutrals often read as dirty white and lose whatever undertone made them appealing. Colonnade Gray has enough depth to still look like a chosen color at noon, which is also why it turns up so often on siding and on whole-house interior schemes.
Specs Side by Side
| Spec | Agreeable Gray | Colonnade Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams | Sherwin-Williams |
| SKU | SW 7029 | SW 7641 |
| Hex | #D1CBC1 | #C6C0B6 |
| RGB | 209, 203, 193 | 198, 192, 182 |
| LRV | 60 | 53 |
| 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.
An LRV of 53 means Colonnade Gray reflects roughly half the light in the room, so it responds strongly to whatever that light is like. North-facing rooms cool it down. The beige recedes, the color reads grayer and slightly heavier, and this is where the faint green cast is most likely to appear.
South-facing rooms bring the warm side forward. In steady sun it looks like a soft, sandy greige and feels a good deal lighter than its chip. East rooms are warm early and settle gray by afternoon. West rooms hold flat and gray through the morning, then turn noticeably warm and golden late in the day.
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
Best when you want a warmer wall feel — pairs well with brass, oak, and creams.
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 Colonnade Gray FAQ
Which is lighter, Agreeable Gray or Colonnade Gray?
Agreeable Gray is lighter: LRV 60 vs 53. Agreeable Gray is slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 53, 7-point delta).
Which is warmer, Agreeable Gray or Colonnade 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 Colonnade Gray?
Agreeable Gray and Colonnade Gray are very close (ΔE 2.76). The difference shows up most in side-by-side comparison and under specific light. 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 Colonnade Gray together in one house?
Not in the same room, and be careful in the same house. At ΔE 2.76 they are so close that two walls in each will read as a tinting mistake, not a design choice. Pick one, or keep them on different floors where they are never seen together.
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