Sherwin-Williams Virtual Taupe#8A7A6A · LRV 20
Virtual Taupe reads as a red-orange / warm — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover the spec, what Sherwin-Williams SW 7039 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | Virtual Taupe |
| SKU | SW 7039 |
| Hex | #8A7A6A |
| RGB | 138, 122, 106 |
| HSL | 30°, 13%, 48% |
| LRV | 20 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral |
About Sherwin-Williams Virtual Taupe
With an LRV of 20, Virtual Taupe 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.
Virtual Taupe 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.
Kompozit alternative
The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.
Closest matches at every US brand
9 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all neutral from that brand.
PPG / Glidden
Valspar
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Clare
Farrow & Ball
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to Virtual Taupe 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 #8A7A6A in HSL space. Pair Virtual Taupe 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.