Willowleaf
SW 9649 · #85877B · LRV 24 — neutral with no strong undertone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Black Fox7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Willowleaf24
- 4Stardew43
- 5Quietude48
What Color Is Willowleaf, Really?
Willowleaf reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 9649 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Willowleaf
Willowleaf 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.
How Lighting Changes Willowleaf
With an LRV of 24, Willowleaf 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.
Most complaints about Willowleaf 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 9649 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 | CompassT12-11 · Behr | 2.7 | 24 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Chelsea GrayHC-168 · Benjamin Moore | 3.2 | 23 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Fat CatT697 · Valspar | 3.0 | 23 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Smokey SagePPG11-24 · PPG / Glidden | 2.8 | 23 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Smokey SagePPG11-24 · Glidden | 2.6 | 23 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Promising Gray439-4DB · Dutch Boy | 4.7 | 24 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Willowleaf 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 #85877B in HSL space. Pair Willowleaf with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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