Color guide · Sherwin-Williams · Neutral

Sands of Time

SW 6101 · #BCA38B · LRV 39 · warm red-orange tone

SW 6101 · #BCA38B · LRV 39 — warm red-orange tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.

Sands of TimeSherwin-Williams · SW 6101
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Sands of Time
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS · SW 6101 · #BCA38B
Brand · codeSherwin-WilliamsSW 6101 · all Sherwin-Williams neutrals
LRV39Mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
Undertonewarm red-orange tone
FamilyNeutral
Hex · RGB · HSL#BCA38B · 188, 163, 139 · 29°, 27%, 64%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. 1Anonymous20
  2. 2Felted Wool28
  3. 3Sands of Time39
  4. 4Agreeable Gray60
  5. 5Pale Oak69
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Sands of Time, Really?

Sands of Time reads as a warm red-orange tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6101 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Sands of Time

Sands of Time is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Sands of Time

Sands of Time sits in the mid-range at LRV 39, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Sands of Time 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 6101 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 Sands of Time 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 Sands of Time · 8.7 : 1 · passes AA and AAAWhite text on Sands of Time · 2.4 : 1 · fails for text

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 #BCA38B in HSL space. Pair Sands of Time with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#BCA38B + #8BA4BC
TRIADIC
#BCA38B · #8BBCA3 · #A38BBC
ANALOGOUS
#BC8B8B · #BCA38B · #BCBB8B

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