Read all about Mindful Gray, plus see 27 real homes that use it!
Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray (SW 7016) is a warm greige shade that bounces between looking like a warm gray to straight-up taupe. It’s a fairly inoffensive paint color that looks okay anywhere, but if you are looking for an actual gray, this shade may not be right for you.
In this post, we’ll talk about absolutely everything you need to know about this shade. I’ll also show you 27 real homes that are using Mindful Gray so you can get an idea of what it could look like in your space. By the end of this post, you’ll know whether this is a color you want to swatch onto your walls or not. Let’s get going!
Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray
Mindful Gray is part of the Nurturer color collection at Sherwin Williams. According to their website, that means that if you like this color, you’re all about inviting people in.
Apparently, you will also have a “warm smile and compassionate nature” that define you. Sound about right? Whether it does or not, this shade is certainly warm and can make a space feel rather cozy when used properly.
Before we dig in, if you are the type of person who never feels completely confident in choosing paint colors, then grab a free copy of “5 Massive Paint Picking Mistakes” to help you avoid the pitfalls! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
LRV of Mindful Gray
When we are looking at paint colors to see if they will be a good fit for our home, one of the first things I look at is the LRV of each shade. LRV is an acronym that stands for Light Reflective Value.
Simply put, LRV tells us if a shade will appear lighter or darker, regardless of those pretty Instagram pics. 😉
Personally, I would caution anyone from choosing a shade that has an LRV that falls below 60, because it can feel really dark. So, what is the LRV of Mindful Gray? 48.
Choosing a paint shade is very personal. At the end of the day, you’ll have to be the one to stare at it day in and day out. But this shade would be far too dark for my personal liking. Will it work for you? That’s what you get to decide. 😉
The best way to be sure of any shade is…drumroll…to sample it! (Did you see that coming?) My recommendation for samples is using these re-usable, re-positionable, peel and stick samples that won’t damage your walls, and you can easily move around your room to see what the paint looks like on each wall ⤵
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!⤵️
Mindful Gray Compared to Other Colors
Like I said earlier, Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray is a warm greige that’s very saturated. If you are trying to decide on a gray shade for your home, see how it stacks up to some of the other popular colors.
Mindful Gray vs. Repose Gray
Repose Gray is a warm shade that has taken the interior design world by storm. This shade has slightly purple undertones but still appears mostly gray. Where Mindful Gray is decidedly warm, Repose Gray leans slightly cool.
Repose Gray has an LRV of 60. When compared with Mindful Gray’s 48, you can see how Repose is quite a bit lighter.
Mindful Gray vs. Agreeable Gray
Agreeable Gray lives up to its name—it’s a pretty gray that’s universally liked. It’s a warm greige that can easily fade to the background in any space.
Similar to Repose Gray above, Agreeable Gray also has an LRV of 60 in contrast to Mindful Gray’s 48. So again, Mindful Gray will be quite a bit darker.
Dorian Gray vs. Mindful Gray
Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray is a slightly warm, almost silvery gray shade of paint. This shade is quite a bit darker than Mindful Gray, with an LRV of 39.
It’s a shade that’s purchased by a lot of folks. That said, in general, it’s a tricky shade to use because of its low LRV as well as its strong undertones. I’d shy away from this shade unless you’re totally smitten.
Other Colors To Consider:
Not sure if you’re mad about Mindful Gray? No matter! There are many more beautiful shades of gray to choose from. Here are a few to consider:
- Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore): a beautiful neutral gray
- Stonington Gray (Benjamin Moore): a neutral, mid-toned gray
- Popular Gray (Sherwin Williams): a light greige with shifting undertones
- Wickham Gray (Benjamin Moore): mid-toned gray with blue undertones
- Gray Cashmere (Benjamin Moore): a mid-light blue-green with gray undertones
- Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore): a warm light greige paint color
- Horizon (Benjamin Moore): pale gray color with subtle blue undertones
- Pigeon (Farrow & Ball): a cozy, calming blue-gray paint color
- Pussywillow (Sherwin Williams): a great mid-toned gray with beige undertones
- Top 9 Light Gray Paint Colors
If you’ve read this far and still feel unsure, definitely grab your free copy of “5 Massive Mistakes People Make When Picking Paint” to help you avoid the biggest issues people have while choosing paint color!
27 Real Life Homes Using Mindful Gray
Alrighty, friends, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. If you’ve found yourself scrolling and waiting to see how Mindful Gray looks in some real-life spaces, you’re in luck! I’ve gathered 27 homes for you to check out that all use this shade.
As you’ll notice pretty quickly, this paint color looks different in each space. That’s not unique to Mindful Gray—that’s how it works with all paint shades!
The actual look of paint can vary dramatically depending on your lighting, your lightbulbs, the scenery, what’s outside your window, what furniture you have, the trim color you pick, etc. That’s why I highly recommend that if you like this shade after reading this post, you grab a can of Mindful Gray and swatch your own walls first!
Let’s get started and take a look at some of these homes with Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray!
Mindful Gray Bathrooms
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.
1. Master Bathroom | Rooms for Rent Blog
I really like the look of Mindful Gray in this bathroom. This room is positively flooded with light! Because it’s so bright, that little pop of gray looks clean and balanced.
2. Color Spotlight | The Creativity Exchange
Again, Mindful Gray works well in this space, IMHO. The brightness of the room, coupled with keeping Mindful Gray to part of the wall produces a clean, warm space.
3. Gray Bathroom | Interior By Colors
Noticing a pattern? Mindful Gray on the top half of this wall pulls out those warm gray tones in the marbled subway tile.
Notice how the shade looks drastically different without natural light hitting it, like in the top right corner or to the left of each mirror for example.
4. @standtalltiffy
These gray bathroom cabinets add just the right touch of warmth into the space. Again, in small doses, this shade is lovely!
Mindful Gray 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).
5. Gray Paint Color | Carla Aston
These Mindful Gray kitchen cabinets look serene in this large, open kitchen. The crown molding is painted the same shade—take a look at how those green undertones come out right above the large window on the left side.
6. Gray Kitchen | Decor Pad
This SW gray looks quite green in this image, particularly the cabinet on the right. See how different it looks from the creamy gray on the left cabinet? Same color, but the lighting changes everything.
7. Paint Color Palette | Home Bunch
If you want to use this shade in your kitchen, the island is a great option, particularly when it’s combined with a light marble countertop.
8. West Magnolia Charm Kitchen | West Magnolia Charm
If you are a fan of the two-toned kitchen, Mindful Gray cabinets can make up a part of the duo. Pairing it with those bright white cabinets brightens the space up and keeps it from looking too muddy.
9. @la_cozy_casita
Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray on the upper half of the wall here. One thing to take note of is how dark the color gets in the corner next to the shelf.
10. @designidaho
The painted cabinets match the veining in the marble perfectly in this kitchen!
Mindful Gray Living Rooms
11. @bunyeastyle
Here’s an example of how this Sherwin Williams gray looks in multiple rooms in a home. It works particularly well in the living room with all that height and the windows!
12. Paint Colors | Mindfully Gray Home and Lifestyle
This living room is flooded with natural light, making it a good candidate for a darker color. This is particularly true when it’s paired with all that light-colored furniture.
13. @simaspaces
Take a look at all the variances in this room. Right above the greenery, the green undertones are pulled out. The shade looks totally different at the top right of the wall vs the top left too, thanks to the shadows.
14. @instastylebylisa
Look at this Mindful Gray living room and compare it to the room above. The paint color looks very different in these two spaces.
15. @stephie_fisher
Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray has some green undertones peeking out in this living room, but subtly so.
16. @the.rush.crew
If you have a super tall ceiling like this living room does, this paint shade can help the space feel a bit cozier.
View this post on Instagram
Mindful Gray Entryways
17. 20 Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray Ideas | Gabe & Jenny Homes
The entryway gives people the first taste of what to expect in your home. This one screams sophistication and elegance, partly because of the gray shade.
18. @hestershomestead
If you want to use gray, but still keep your entryway light and bright, try this smart idea and use it to accent your door.
19. @the_nelson_homestead
You can see Mindful Gray on the right-hand side of the photo. It makes a pretty accent wall in this space when paired with the creamy white color.
Mindful Gray Exteriors
20. @lifeamongthecedars
Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray can make for an excellent exterior paint, depending on what you pair it with. Here, the shade picks up on that slight green undertone thanks to the reflection of the greenery.
21. @texasforeverfarmhouse
Pairing limestone with Mindful Gray will help draw out some of the stone’s natural darker undertones.
Mindful Gray Dining Rooms
22. Paint Colors: Dining Room | Jenna Kate at Home
When paired with a white bottom half, this shade makes for an elegant area to dine in.
23. @bizzzybee13
This dining room is flooded with plenty of natural light, which takes away the muddy undertones this shade can often have.
Bedrooms with Mindful Gray
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.
24. @abowlfulloflemons
The bedroom is often one of the best places to experiment with darker colors like this one, IMHO. Since the main function is sleeping, why not create a cozy space to slumber away in?
25. @athomewithtijai
This is a really smart placement of Mindful Gray. Placing it on the wall with the window ensures the color stays as bright as possible and pairing it with a white accent wall keeps the entire room cheerful.
26. @vanfleetfamfarmhouse
Similarly, the paint shade in this bedroom works very well thanks to a wall of windows.
27. @sarahwilliamshome
The shades of gray in this bedroom work so well together—even that cute kitty coordinates well!
There you have it! 27 beautiful homes that feature Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray! Are you tempted to try this shade at home?
Remember it’s always better to sample than be sorry!
Pin this post for later! And if you use this shade, leave a comment (or better yet, a photo) on the pin! That helps others know whether they want to try this paint 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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