Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Gentility |
| SKU | T516 |
| Hex | #C9A789 |
| RGB | 201, 167, 137 |
| HSL | 28°, 37%, 66% |
| LRV | 42 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Neutral |
About Valspar Gentility
Gentility sits in the mid-range at LRV 42, 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.
Gentility 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.
Closest matches by brand
15 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 neutral from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Portola Paints
Kompozit
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Gentility within Valspar'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 #C9A789 in HSL space. Pair Gentility 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.
Valspar Gentility Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Gentility 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 Valspar T516 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Gentility
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Beige Intenso (SW 9096), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.66). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Beige Intenso swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Gentility
Behr's nearest match is Riviera Clay (UL130-8), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.38). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Riviera Clay swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Gentility
Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Dearborn Tan (1153), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.71). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Dearborn Tan swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Gentility
PPG / Glidden's nearest match is Yosemite Trailhead (PPG15-04), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.68). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Yosemite Trailhead swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Gentility
Glidden's nearest match is Yosemite Trailhead (PPG15-04), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.36). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Yosemite Trailhead swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Gentility
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Rustic Rye (314-4DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.65). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Rustic Rye swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Gentility
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Trailside Tan (HGSW 3125), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.66). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 43 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Trailside Tan swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Gentility
Dunn-Edwards has no exact twin of Gentility. The nearest is Moenkopi Tan (DEC704) at ΔE 3.99 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly darker (LRV 39 vs 42). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Moenkopi Tan swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Gentility
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Gentility is Fake Tan (NO. 9912) — very close at ΔE 2.45, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 43 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Fake Tan swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Gentility
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Cowhide (0155), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.11). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Cowhide swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Gentility
Hirshfield's's nearest match is Cowhide (0155), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.71). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Cowhide swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Gentility
Rodda's nearest match is Sand Dune (CA108), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.87). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Sand Dune swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Gentility
C2 Paint's nearest match is Buff Orpington (BD32), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.61). It runs slightly darker (LRV 40 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Buff Orpington swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Gentility
Kompozit's nearest match is Cowhide (0155), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.71). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 42 vs 42) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Gentility without repainting risk. See the full Cowhide swatch →