Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Downing Slate |
| SKU | SW 2819 |
| Hex | #777F86 |
| RGB | 119, 127, 134 |
| HSL | 208°, 6%, 50% |
| LRV | 21 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Gray |
About Sherwin-Williams Downing Slate
With an LRV of 21, Downing Slate is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Downing Slate works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
14 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Downing Slate within Sherwin-Williams'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 #777F86 in HSL space. Pair Downing Slate 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.
Sherwin-Williams Downing Slate Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Downing Slate from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 2819 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Downing Slate
Behr's nearest match is Deep Shale (PPF-38), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.34). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 21) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Downing Slate without repainting risk. See the full Deep Shale swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Downing Slate is Charcoal Linen (2133-40) — very close at ΔE 2.36, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 21) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Charcoal Linen swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Valspar, the closest color to Downing Slate is Nuts and Bolts (8004-46E) — very close at ΔE 2.57, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 21) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Nuts and Bolts swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Glidden, the closest color to Downing Slate is Evening Shadow (30BB 21/056) — very close at ΔE 3.06, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 21) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Evening Shadow swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Downing Slate
The closest Dutch Boy equivalent of Downing Slate is Industrialized (434-5DB). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 21). If Dutch Boy is your counter, order Industrialized and you'll get the same color. See the full Industrialized swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Downing Slate
At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Downing Slate is Storm Cloud (HGSW 3363) — very close at ΔE 2.09, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 23 vs 21) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Storm Cloud swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Downing Slate is Taliesin Blue (DEC798) — very close at ΔE 3.04, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 19 vs 21) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Taliesin Blue swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Downing Slate
Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Downing Slate. The nearest is De Nimes (NO. 299) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 21). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full De Nimes swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Downing Slate is Slate Tint (0520) — very close at ΔE 3.03, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 23 vs 21) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Slate Tint swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Downing Slate
Rodda's nearest match is Duende (R098), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.52). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 21) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Downing Slate without repainting risk. See the full Duende swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Clare, the closest color to Downing Slate is Irony (PNT100-MD-16) — very close at ΔE 2.72, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 21) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Irony swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Downing Slate
At Kompozit, the closest color to Downing Slate is Slate Tint (0520) — very close at ΔE 3.03, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 22 vs 21) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Slate Tint swatch →