Read all about Accessible Beige, plus see 20+ real homes that use it!
Accessible Beige (SW #7036) by Sherwin Williams is a popular neutral for both exteriors and interiors. As far as beiges go, this one is a great choice. It’s considerably softer than the oppressively warm and overly yellow beiges of the past. Also, it’s far more sophisticated and complex than the crude builder’s grade paint that made “beige” a bad word in the interior design space.
SW Accessible Beige pairs beautifully with white cabinets and trim, adding just enough contrast while still remaining neutral. In some lighting, it looks creamy and warm. Other times, it can take on a little more gray, but never looks too stark or icy. Certain wood finishes compliment this shade perfectly, and black accents tend to pop against walls painted in this shade.
I’m excited to dive in and show you why Accessible Beige might be the perfect neutral shade for your home.
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A Brief History of Beige
In case you didn’t know, beige is back!
Beige tones were popular during the 1990s, and reached their peak in the early 2000s. Why? This was the era of mass-produced homes. Builders knew that beige interiors helped houses sell for the highest possible prices, and the term “builder’s beige” was born.
With the rise in popularity of HGTV, beiges started to fall out of fashion. White and gray shades began to reign supreme as the most desirable neutrals.
As we all know, trends are cyclical, and beiges paint colors are once again having a moment. This time, they are softer, more complex and less yellow than the shades homeowners shunned over the past decade or so.
In the past, I’ve had no problem saying I’m not a fan of beige. But this one…it’s not so bad! In fact, it’s very pretty in the right spaces.
What Color is Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige?
For those hesitant to dip their toes in the world of beige, Accessible Beige is a safe choice. It’s also a great shade for greige and beige lovers, and I’ll tell you why.
Though it’s a light, warm beige, there’s a bit of gray in it. It lacks the yellow tinge that makes beiges of the past look overly warm, dark, and dingy. So while it is a warm color, there’s enough counterpoint in its undertones to keep it from looking too warm.
As far as Accessible Beige undertones go, there’s the slightest hint of a green undertone that is most prominent in southern-facing rooms, or when paired with light pink and terracotta shades.
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LRV of SW 7036
LRV OF ACCESSIBLE BEIGE = 58
Here’s a quick overview of LRV for those who aren’t familiar.
LRV = Light Reflectance Value: Paints are rated from 0-100 with 0 being pure black, and 100 being pure white. Lighter paint shades REFLECT more light from them and therefore have a HIGHER LRV, and vice versa for darker shades). Below see Accessible Beige (58) side by side with pure white (100):
LRV…what? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige SW 7036 Color Comparison
To understand the undertones of SW Accessible Beige and overall color profile, it’s best to compare it with a few other similar neutrals. Below, you can see it alongside Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray, Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, and Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige.
Accessible Beige vs. Agreeable Gray
As the name suggests, Agreeable Gray (LRV 60) has more gray in it than Accessible Beige (LRV 58). When shown side by side with Agreeable Gray, the creamy warmth of Accessible Beige really becomes apparent. With an LRV of 60, Agreeable Gray is a touch lighter.
Agreeable Gray is still slightly warmer than a true gray, and most will consider it a greige or even a beige, but it is certainly cooler than Accessible Beige.
Accessible Beige vs. Revere Pewter
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (LRV 55) is also slightly grayer than Accessible Beige (LRV 58), and has some greenish undertones. At an LRV of 55, BM Revere Pewter is a bit too dark for my taste.
In low light situations, this will only be exacerbated. Accessible Beige might add just the right of warmth to a darker space.
Accessible Beige vs. Balanced Beige
Truly a beautiful beige, Balanced Beige is aptly named. It is worth noting that with an LRV of 46, Balanced Beige is considerably darker than Accessible Beige (LRV 58).
While some might describe Balanced Beige simply as a darker version of Accessible Beige, others might consider it part of the taupe family.
More Paint Colors to Consider
Before we dig into Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige, I thought to point out that there are so many other incredible shades out there!
My recommendation is you pick a few of these paint colors as potentials shades, buy the sample can, and swatch your walls to see which one is truly right for YOU and YOUR SPACE.
As far as sampling goes, I highly recommend these mess-free, re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick paint samples ⤵
Each of these posts breaks down everything you need to know about the shade, plus shares examples how it looks in real homes!
- Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore)
- Light French Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Light Pewter (Benjamin Moore)
- Repose Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Agreeable Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Pale Oak (Benjamin Moore)
- Stonington Gray (Benjamin Moore)
- Anew Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Classic Gray (Benjamin Moore)
- Alpaca (Sherwin Williams)
- Dorian Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Chelsea Gray (Benjamin Moore)
- Perfect Greige (Sherwin Williams)
Does the thought of even choosing a sample or two to try make your palms sweat? Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Real Life Homes Using Accessible Beige
Ready to see Accessible Beige on some real walls?! Let’s get to it!
Accessible Beige Living Rooms
A quick note here: don’t forget to consider picking the right paint finish…it’s not only about getting the color right! We have an in-depth explanation of choosing sheens here.
1. Beautiful Shade in an Open Concept Living Space
In this bright and airy open concept living space, Accessible Beige is used on the living room walls to define it as a separate room from the white kitchen.
@our.rustic.home did a wonderful job adding dimension here, and the shade looks wonderful with white trim and natural wood beams. The kitchen cabinets are painted in Snowbound.
2. Light, Bright, But Not Stark White
Accessible Beige can be a light color, especially in spaces with lots of natural light. In those situations, this shade can elevate the room while staying neutral and understated.
3. Elevated Rustic Charm
Here in this hallway and living room from Mrs. Jessica Darling, Accessible Beige is used beautifully as a trim color, door color, and on the hallway wainscoting, coupled with Swiss Coffee as the wall color. It’s a warm (but not too warm) and inviting palette to be sure.
4. Not Just a Bland, Boring Beige
In this cozy living room featured in The Painted Drawer, the historic fireplace, painted pure white, makes a dramatic statement. Painting the walls Accessible Beige allows it to be the focal point of the space. Notice that the paint color works well with the honey oak flooring, too.
5. Subdued and Elegant
This sitting room featured by stage.and.prosper is thoughtfully styled. Accessible Beige takes on a subdued and elegant role, allowing the orange accent pieces and greenery to really shine.
6. Looks Like Luxury
Accessible Beige takes on an air of luxury in this Santo Domingo sitting room. The clean, modern lines of the sliding glass door are softened by the color of the walls and light blue throw pillows, bringing balance and coziness to this sophisticated space.
7. Beige Board & Batten
The pairing of soft white on the trim and Accessible Beige on the paneled walls is absolute perfection in this cozy entryway from Moonefield Interiors. I love how warm and creamy the shade looks in this lighting.
Love that board and batten? Then check out this post with more board and batten inspiration.
Bathrooms in Accessible Beige
Don’t forget the finish! For bathrooms the perfect sheen is either an eggshell or satin. Why? We’ll tell you in this post about paint sheen.
8. Clean and Cool
In contrast to the Moonefield Interiors entryway above, Accessible Beige looks cooler in this clean and simply styled bathroom from It’s a Grandville Life. This shade is the perfect choice for a calming neutral in this lighting.
9. True Beige, True Love
Doesn’t this bathroom from Jenna Sue Design just take your breath away? Accessible Beige is the perfect color for the paneling behind the vanity, and looks stunning in contrast to the adjacent marbled wall. Throw in dramatic black diamond tile and a couple of gold sconces and you have a bathroom fit for royalty!
10. Oh What a Difference a New Coat of Paint Makes
Here’s a smart refresh if I ever saw one! In this feature from @laceandgraceinteriors on Instagram, the homeowners painted the vanity and cabinets Accessible Beige, giving this bathroom an update without the hefty price tag of a full remodel.
The result is clean and fresh, and a unique combination of modern and classic styles (Photo credit: Stephanie Studer).
11. Really Lovely with Rustic Accents
Accessible Beige was the perfect match for the reclaimed wood look in this quintessentially Texas-style bathroom! The shade of the wall blends in perfectly with the rustic accents.
12. Not All Neutral Paint Colors are Created Equal
Talk about serene. Accessible Beige looking beautiful in this bathroom on the board and batten…and I, for one, am smitten for the stunning contrast with the black floor and decor accents.
Dining Rooms in SW 7036
13. A Calming, Neutral Color Palette
What’s the best way to let the conversation be the star of the dining room? Sherwin Williams shows that by painting the walls in a sophisticated neutral like Accessible Beige, the background beautifully fades, allowing the company to shine.
14. Can Work with a Coastal Color Scheme
This dining room featured by breezydesigns went all out with the coastal theme. Accessible Beige was a smart choice for the walls, creating a neutral backdrop for the white furniture and aqua decor.
15. Can Show More Cream Tones in Artificial Light
The lighting in this stately, traditional dining room brings out an interesting richness in the walls. The shade takes on a warm and creamy hue, but still looks neutral.
16. Cooler Look in a North Facing Room
In rooms that face cooler north light, or when the light is low in the early morning or evening, this shade’s cooler side comes through, exposing some gray undertones. The warm wood of the rustic-industrial dining table somehow both contrasts and compliments the wall shade.
17. Utterly Elegant
When aiming for elegance, you really can’t go wrong with a neutral palette. The beautiful chandelier in this dining room really warms up the shade of the walls.
SW Accessible Beige Kitchens
For kitchens, eggshell or satin are popular finish choices for walls. For cabinets consider semi-gloss or high gloss for the most durable finish (and a gorgeous glow).
18. Kitchen Wall Color
This Belgian-inspired farmhouse kitchen from LuvDev Custom Homes really nailed this color combination.
Accessible Beige on the walls adds depth against the white cabinets, but the dark grey backsplash and dark countertops push the envelope even further. So beautiful!
19. Works Well with White Cabinets
I love a work-in-progress post! It really brings transparency to the interior design process, which we can all use, right?
Here, Lindsey of @immeasurablymorehomes on Instagram debates if the cabinet colors (painted Dover White) are a good match against the subway tile backsplash. I think we can all agree that Accessible Beige is a great neutral choice for the walls, though!
20. Accessible Beige Cabinet Color
Here’s an example of Accessible Beige on kitchen cabinets! It’s so interesting how gray this shade can look in certain lighting. It’s a great choice for this cool-toned kitchen.
21. Contrasts with White Cabinets
Here, you only get the tiniest peek of wall color, but it’s enough to tell that yet again, it’s the right amount of contrast against white trim and cabinets.
Bedrooms in Beige
In general for bedrooms, and low-traffic areas, flat paint is fine. If you like something with a bit of shine (and more ease of cleaning) opt for eggshell or satin.
22. Stunning Contrast with Black Trim
Accessible Beige is perfect for a serene bedroom vibe. In this bedroom featured by Love Now Sell Later, the designer did an amazing job styling with white and neutral shades.
I love how the black framed windows pop against this palette.
23. Model Home Vibes
This before and after post by ephdecor is pretty impressive, no? The cheetah print rug is used as a statement piece and a starting point, designing everything else in the room around it.
What do you think of Accessible Beige as a wall color choice in this spare bedroom?
24. Fantastic with Farmhouse Style
Accessible Beige helps contribute a clean and modern twist to this lovely farmhouse style bedroom from @emariehome. Those throw pillows from Target are the perfect finishing touch!
25. Stellar for Staging
This before and after post from @nicheandcranny (a home stager) shows how to make the most of natural light in a room.
Accessible Beige brightened up the walls of this formerly green bedroom. Add a large potted plant and you have a recipe for a truly relaxing sanctuary!
26. Neutral, Not Boring
I’m really loving this modern take on farmhouse style that I’ve been seeing more and more of lately. This all-neutral bedroom is anything but boring with the right accents.
The black fan, window frames and fun throw pillow all pop against this beige palette.
27. Aqua + Accessible Beige
Here’s another winning combo of Accessible Beige, white, and aqua from breezydesigns!
Did you enjoy this deep dive into Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige? I think these real-life examples showed it being used in a variety of smart and beautiful ways!
I hope this helped you decide whether this versatile neutral is the right choice for your next project.
Seriously considering this shade? Make sure to sample first! I highly recommend these re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick samples👇
Pin this post for later! And if you use this paint shade, leave a comment (or better yet, a photo) on the pin! That helps others know whether they want to try this color, too!
Ready to show those boring, beige walls who’s the boss at home? Grab my free guide to help you sidestep the mistakes that almost everyone makes when it comes to picking paint! You’ll be on your way to perfect paint promptly…pinky swear.
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