Hardware
SW 6172 · #8B8372 · LRV 23 — warm red-orange tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Nocturne8
- 2Mocha Latte17
- 3Hardware23
- 4Mindful Gray48
- 5Light French Gray53
What Color Is Hardware, Really?
Hardware reads as a warm red-orange tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6172 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Hardware
Hardware works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
How Lighting Changes Hardware
With an LRV of 23, Hardware is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its orange 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.
Most complaints about Hardware 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 6172 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 | Mocha Accent720D-5 · Behr | 2.4 | 23 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Iron Gate1545 · Benjamin Moore | 1.6 | 23 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Artichoke6003-2A · Valspar | 2.0 | 24.1 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Dark AshPPG1025-5 · PPG / Glidden | 1.3 | 23 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Dark AshPPG1025-5 · Glidden | 1.0 | 23 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Niagara Valley422-5DB · Dutch Boy | 2.4 | 22 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Hardware 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 #8B8372 in HSL space. Pair Hardware with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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