Earl Grey
SW 7660 · #969A96 · LRV 32 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Black Fox7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Earl Grey32
- 4Stardew43
- 5Palladian Blue60
What Color Is Earl Grey, Really?
Earl Grey reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 7660 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Earl Grey
Earl Grey is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Earl Grey
Earl Grey sits in the mid-range at LRV 32, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Earl Grey 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 Sherwin-Williams SW 7660 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Dolphin GrayHDC-NT-10A · Behr | 3.0 | 32 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Gibraltar Cliffs1587 · Benjamin Moore | 3.2 | 32 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Pipe DreamV140-4 · Valspar | 0.8 | 32.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Playing PossumPPG0997-5 · PPG / Glidden | 2.6 | 31 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Greycliffe50GY 32/046 · Glidden | 1.8 | 32 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Padlock Gray438-4DB · Dutch Boy | 3.6 | 31 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Earl Grey within Sherwin-Williams'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 #969A96 in HSL space. Pair Earl Grey with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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