Color guide · Valspar · Gray

The North Wind Blows

V140-5 · #7F837D · LRV 22.2 · neutral with no strong undertone

V140-5 · #7F837D · LRV 22.2 — neutral with no strong undertone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.

The North Wind BlowsValspar · V140-5
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The North Wind Blows
VALSPAR · V140-5 · #7F837D
Brand · codeValsparV140-5 · all Valspar grays
LRV22.2Dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
Undertoneneutral with no strong undertone
FamilyGray
Hex · RGB · HSL#7F837D · 127, 131, 125 · 100°, 2%, 50%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Black Fox7
  2. 2Pewter Green12
  3. 3The North Wind Blows22.2
  4. 4Stardew43
  5. 5Quietude48
Undertone and depth

What Color Is The North Wind Blows, Really?

The North Wind Blows reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Valspar V140-5 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for The North Wind Blows

The North Wind Blows 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes The North Wind Blows

With an LRV of 22.2, The North Wind Blows 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about The North Wind Blows 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Valspar V140-5 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Valspar Colors

The nearest shades to The North Wind Blows within Valspar's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on The North Wind Blows · 5.4 : 1 · passes AAWhite text on The North Wind Blows · 3.9 : 1 · large text only

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 #7F837D in HSL space. Pair The North Wind Blows with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#7F837D + #817D83
TRIADIC
#7F837D · #7D7F83 · #837D7F
ANALOGOUS
#82837D · #7F837D · #7D837E

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Jessica Williams

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