Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Special Gray |
| SKU | SW 6277 |
| Hex | #7B787D |
| RGB | 123, 120, 125 |
| HSL | 276°, 2%, 48% |
| LRV | 19 |
| Undertone | neutral with no strong undertone |
| Family | Gray |
About Sherwin-Williams Special Gray
With an LRV of 19, Special Gray 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.
Special Gray 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
13 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
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Kompozit
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Special Gray 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 #7B787D in HSL space. Pair Special Gray 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 Special Gray Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Special Gray 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 6277 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Special Gray
At Behr, the closest color to Special Gray is Complex Gray (N140-5) — very close at ΔE 2.82, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 18 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Complex Gray swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Special Gray
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Tempest (AF-590), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.84). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Special Gray without repainting risk. See the full Tempest swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Special Gray
Valspar's nearest match is Cinder Fox (4001-2B), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.72). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19.1 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Special Gray without repainting risk. See the full Cinder Fox swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Special Gray
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Special Gray. The nearest is City Skyline (PPG0995-6) at ΔE 4.33 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 19). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full City Skyline swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Special Gray
At Glidden, the closest color to Special Gray is Elegant Charcoal (00NN 20/000) — very close at ΔE 2.2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Elegant Charcoal swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Special Gray
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Smoldered (444-4DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.63). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Special Gray without repainting risk. See the full Smoldered swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Special Gray
The closest HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Special Gray is Special Gray (HGSW 3373). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 19). If HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Special Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Special Gray swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Special Gray
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Special Gray is Tarnished Silver (DE6355) — very close at ΔE 2.87, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Tarnished Silver swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Special Gray
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Special Gray is Ocean Frigate (0555) — very close at ΔE 2.79, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Special Gray
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Special Gray is Ocean Frigate (0555) — very close at ΔE 2.31, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Special Gray
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Special Gray is Stomp (C2-983) — very close at ΔE 3.46, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 17 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Stomp swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Special Gray
At Kompozit, the closest color to Special Gray is Ocean Frigate (0555) — very close at ΔE 2.31, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 19) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →