Color guide · Sherwin-Williams · Gray

Enigma

SW 6018 · #8B7C7E · LRV 21 · warm red tone

SW 6018 · #8B7C7E · LRV 21 — warm red tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.

EnigmaSherwin-Williams · SW 6018
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Enigma
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS · SW 6018 · #8B7C7E
Brand · codeSherwin-WilliamsSW 6018 · all Sherwin-Williams grays
LRV21Dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
Undertonewarm red tone
FamilyGray
Hex · RGB · HSL#8B7C7E · 139, 124, 126 · 352°, 6%, 52%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Black Fox7
  2. 2Pewter Green12
  3. 3Enigma21
  4. 4Stardew43
  5. 5Quietude48
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Enigma, Really?

Enigma reads as a warm red tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6018 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Enigma

Enigma 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Enigma

With an LRV of 21, Enigma is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its red undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Enigma 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 6018 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors

The nearest shades to Enigma within Sherwin-Williams's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Enigma · 5.3 : 1 · passes AAWhite text on Enigma · 4 : 1 · large text only

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 #8B7C7E in HSL space. Pair Enigma with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#8B7C7E + #7C8B89
TRIADIC
#8B7C7E · #7E8B7C · #7C7E8B
ANALOGOUS
#8B7C85 · #8B7C7E · #8B827C

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Jessica Williams

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