Made in the Shade
V116-2 · #959C9C · LRV 32.5 — neutral with no strong undertone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Black Fox7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Made in the Shade32.5
- 4Stardew43
- 5Palladian Blue60
What Color Is Made in the Shade, Really?
Made in the Shade reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Valspar V116-2 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Made in the Shade
Made in the Shade is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Made in the Shade
Made in the Shade sits in the mid-range at LRV 32.5, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Made in the Shade 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 Valspar V116-2 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | DustbluSW 9161 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.0 | 32 | Color page → |
| Behr | Puddle790B-4 · Behr | 1.1 | 33 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Pewter2121-30 · Benjamin Moore | 2.2 | 34 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | After the StormPPG1036-4 · PPG / Glidden | 3.0 | 33 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Cool Metalwork Grey50BG 33/025 · Glidden | 2.3 | 33 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Portsmouth LandingHGSW 1473 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 2.4 | 32 | Color page → |
Similar Valspar Colors
The nearest shades to Made in the Shade within Valspar'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 #959C9C in HSL space. Pair Made in the Shade with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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