Read all about Sherwin Williams Modern Gray, plus see 12 real homes that use it!
What do you get excited about? I get excited about paint colors. Yep, weird, I know. Many people think that choosing paint colors is time-consuming, tedious, or stressful. I, on the other hand, think it’s exciting – a world of opportunity and possibility!
I’ve been posting a series of in-depth color reviews on different popular paint colors. My goal with these posts is to provide enough information to make choosing (or at least narrowing down) your new paint color selection much easier.
I’ve covered a variety of colors at this point, from neutral whites, off-whites, grays, and greiges to moody, bold colors. Today I have another neutral for you: Sherwin Williams Modern Gray (SW 7632). This light, warm taupe-leaning gray looks incredible nearly anywhere you want to use it IF you like the color.
If you’re searching for the perfect light greige shade, keep reading. Once you get all the deets on Sherwin Williams Modern Gray, I feel confident you’ll put it on your shortlist of color choices!
FAQs about Modern Gray
What color is Sherwin Williams Modern Gray?
Modern Gray is a light beige color. It leans taupe and is light enough that it can read off-white in bright lighting. But it has just enough saturation that it contrasts well against white trim.
Is Sherwin Williams Modern Gray a warm color?
Modern Gray is a warm greige with taupe (pink/purple) undertones. As a light shade, it will definitely warm up a room subtly while keeping the space feeling light and airy.
Where should I use SW Modern Gray?
This hue can be the perfect color choice for any area in the house! Consider using Modern Gray in:
Living rooms
Bedrooms
Kitchens
Bathrooms
Laundry rooms
Hallways
Staircases
And more!
With its lovely neutral nature, this shade works in nearly every style of home too!
If I use Modern Gray on my walls, what trim color should I choose?
To contrast with, but also pair well with Modern Gray, I’d recommend these choices for trim paint:
Decorator’s White (Benjamin Moore)
Pure White (Sherwin Williams)
Highly Reflective White (Sherwin Williams)
I’m not gonna lie – choosing the PERFECT paint color isn’t as easy as seeing what you like online and simply adding it to your space. There’s an entire science behind it! 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 Modern Gray Undertones
Every paint color has undertones. Knowing what they are for the colors you want to use is important so that you can work WITH them. You want your paint to harmonize with your home and decor style, right? Think of understanding undertones as an eyes wide open policy.
That’s why I strongly recommend using paint swatches around your home to evaluate paint colors. Doing that helps you identify undertones that will appear near surrounding decor and in changing lighting situations.
Let’s chat about SW Modern Gray’s undertones. This color is a bit of a chameleon, so it doesn’t commit to just one undertone. That means that your surroundings can play a big role in how this paint will look in your home.
In general, Modern Gray is a light greige that has a wink of pink. But, thanks to its beige influence, using it near something that’s strongly taupe (a violet-pink base) can cause it to flash green undertones.
If undertones make your head hurt, you’re not alone! Grab your free copy of 5 Biggest Paint Choice Mistakes Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
How Different Types of Lighting Affect SW Modern Gray
Shades with multiple undertones can shift somewhat dramatically in different types of light.
Here’s a general guide to how different types of light will impact the appearance of Modern Gray.
- North-facing light – this light is the coolest and will make Modern Gray appear grayer and less warm, but it won’t read as cold.
- South-facing light – this warm lighting will pull out the warmth of Modern Gray. The color will tend to look more beige or tan in this lighting.
- East-facing light – eastern light is bright yellow morning light which will make this shade read warm and slightly washed out in the morning. In the afternoon, when the light is to the west, this same color will read darker and grayer.
- West-facing light – western light is rich, orange/red-infused warm light that will draw out the warm qualities of Modern Gray in the afternoon, making it read less gray and more beige.
NOTE: Paint colors almost never look the same in two different places. That’s especially true if you’re comparing a paint color on your computer screen to one in your home. Paint samples will help you see how your lighting and surrounding decor influence any paint color so that you’ll know EXACTLY how it will look in your home.
As far as sampling goes, I highly recommend these mess-free, re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick paint samples ⤵
Feeling lost? I gotcha, boo! 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!⤵️
Great Coordinating Colors for Modern Gray
Thanks to its shade-shifting tendencies, Modern Gray isn’t quite as versatile as some other neutrals can be. Finding great coordinating colors for Modern Gray involves finding colors that work with this hue’s undertones.
Here are a few helpful tips:
- Use off-whites that are subtle and don’t strongly lean one way or the other.
- This color can work well with paints that have green undertones, but when using them, go with darker gray and greige shades.
- Gray-blue colors often complement Modern Gray very well.
If you want a few ideas of specific colors to pair with Sherwin Williams Modern Gray, try starting with these:
- High Reflective White
- Alabaster
- Pure White
- Summit Gray
- Greek Villa
- Cadet
- City Loft
- Virtual Taupe
- Warm Stone
- Aesthetic White
- Urbane Bronze
- Palisade
- Willow Tree
- Steeley Gray
LRV of Sherwin Williams Modern Gray (SW 7632)
Since looking at paint involves a ton of subjective interpretation, I’m going to speak objectively for a minute. Paint shifts tremendously due to nearby influences, which cause the same color to appear very different in varying situations.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a number on a scale between 0 and 100 that’s given to each shade based on how much light that color REFLECTS. A lower number means less light is reflected, while a higher number means more light is reflected. It’s a great tool for offering an objective measurement of how saturated or light a shade is.
The LRV of SW Modern Gray = 62
Modern Gray is smack dab in the “light” range, offering color and warmth that isn’t too rich or dark.
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!⤵️
Modern Gray Compared to other Colors
Comparing similar shades next to each other is a great way to get more information on how colors appear – especially how their undertones affect the color. Here’s how Sherwin Williams Modern Gray compares to three other popular shades.
Sherwin Williams Modern Gray vs. Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Since Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) has a similar (but lower) LRV value of 60, it’s a touch darker than Modern Gray.
It also has more pronounced gray and green undertones and reads slightly cooler than SW Modern Gray does. When compared side by side, Modern Gray looks lighter and more beige than Agreeable Gray does.
SW Modern Gray vs. Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige (SW 7036) has an LRV of 58, which makes it noticeably darker than Modern Gray. In addition, this warm greige is more, well, beige. Its brown and green undertones contrast Modern Gray’s gray-based color with pink undertones.
Sherwin Williams Modern Gray vs. Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
With an LRV of 63.88, Edgecomb Gray (HC-173) is almost a lighter version of Accessible Beige.
Edgecomb Gray (also called Baby Fawn…yes, the same color has two different names) reads lighter and more beige than Modern Gray does as it proudly shows off its brown undertones. But Edgecomb Gray does have some gray in there too, which is what these two colors have in common.
More Colors to Consider
I know, picking colors can be challenging! If you don’t feel sold on Modern Gray just yet, check out these other grays. I’m sure you’ll find (at least) one to fall in love with!
- Anew Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a light-medium warm greige
- Mindful Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a warm greige falling in the light-medium range
- Repose Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a warm, mid-toned greige
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray – a light, bright neutral gray with some warmth
- Light Pewter (Benjamin Moore) – a crowd-pleasing light gray with greige undertones
- Light French Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a light, balanced gray
- Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray – a medium toned gray to greige
- Stonington Gray (Benjamin Moore) – a rich, mid-toned neutral gray
- Revere Pewter (Benjamin Moore) – a warm, mid-toned greige with a strong undertone of brown
- Sherwin Williams On the Rocks – a gray with mild purple undertones
- Passive (Sherwin Williams) – a light to medium gray with cool undertones
- Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore) – a popular, medium-toned gray
- Classic Gray (Benjamin Moore) – a crowd-pleasing, non-offensive off-white to light greige
And to move you quickly from paint zero to hero, I have a great, free resource for you. Grab a copy of 5 Massive Paint Mistakes to Avoid…because when all else fails, as long as you stay away from these 5 cardinal painting sins, you’re probably doing A-OK!
25 Real Life Homes Using Modern Gray
Ok, tech time is over! Let’s get to the fun part and check out how Sherwin Williams Modern Gray shifts and changes based on how different lighting situations and decor styles influence it. Here are real houses that use Sherwin Williams Modern Gray paint.
Living Rooms Painted SW Modern Gray
Sheen note: Picking the right color is only winning the battle, not the war. Remember to pick the right paint finish, or sheen, also! Read up on what you need to know about picking the perfect paint sheen.
1. White Moulding Pairs Beautifully
This room from Interiors by Holly has lots of natural light and is a great example of how Modern Gray can look when it’s in a sun-drenched room. Notice that even though it looks off-white on the left side of the picture but still contrasts well against the white trim.
2. A Gray That Can Play it Cool
Modern Gray can certainly look like a cool color in certain settings. Here in this living room, it looks like a true gray rather than a warm greige. But we’ll see that isn’t always the case.
3. Perfect Gray for a Luxurious Lounge
SW 7632 is showing how grown up it can look in this great lounge area. Again, there’s a lot of natural light flowing into this room, but here the wall color reads slightly warmer than it did in the space above. Likely because the Modern Gray is playing off the very warm oranges and reds in this home’s flooring, as well as some of the warm accent colors in this space like the golds and bronzes in the gallery wall frames and other art work.
4. Modern Gray Making Home for the Holidays
But truly, this shade looks great year round in the right space, such as this beautiful, light and bright family room from @the_cottager.
Modern 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. Creamy Kitchen Walls
Because Modern Gray is such a light shade, it can look washed out in the light. Doesn’t it look dreamy as a creamy off-white? This kitchen from Caine and Company looks warm, inviting, and pleasantly airy.
6. Perfect Farmhouse Paint Color
This kitchen has much lower natural light levels, which make Modern Gray read a little darker. This warm greige does a great job of creating the perfect bridge between gray and rich wood tones in @jet526‘s kitchen.
7. Modern Gray Looking Moody
Modern Gray is the wall color in this masculine & moody kitchen. I love how @slcrone chose the darker paint color, Acier, for the ceiling to help create depth with a faux coffered ceiling treatment. Modern Gray looks more greige here with the lower natural light and the pendant lights switched on. The cabinetry in this kitchen is a popular gray paint color, SW Dovetail.
8. Perfect Contrast with Trim
In this butler’s pantry area, SW 7632 is looking much more beige than gray thanks to the lighting being switched on, and warm flooring. The wall paint has just enough pigment to pop against the cabinetry and the bright, white trim moldings painted in Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White.
Dining Spaces in Sherwin Williams Modern Gray
9. Rustic Greige Dining Room
Since Modern Gray is a greige, you can easily pair it with warm grays. Use it in monochromatic color schemes, and it also looks terrific in modern farmhouse-style homes like this one by Demesne Design.
10. A Lighter Look for Modern Gray
This south-facing window in @ranierhouse‘s dining space floods the room with warm light. In the areas where the light hits the walls, it looks off-white. Next to the window (in the shadows), the gray pulls through.
11. Sophisticated in SW 7632
A sophisticated paint palette is perfect for a sophisticated dining space, as seen here in this space shared by Kody Kepert. Again the warm greige qualities pull through in a room filled with other warm tones…here that would be the rich wood, and the brass fixtures (both the lighting and cabinet pulls).
12. From Dreary to Dreamy Dining Room
The before and after in this Instagram share from @bloomdesignandstyling once again proves how powerful good paint palettes really can be! Here with the lights switched on, the warm tones in Modern Gray pull through again.
13. Works Well With Wood
I’m sure the food served in this delightful dining space is delicious, but so is the decor thanks in part, to Modern Gray walls, and paired beautifully here with Snowbound on the ceiling.
Sherwin Williams Modern 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.
14. Gray Zone
The walls look darker here in this bathroom than we’ve seen in other spaces thanks to low lighting. A good reminder to always look at your paint samples morning, noon, and night, before making any final paint color decisions!
15. Modern Gray Above the Chair Railing
Using Modern Gray almost as an accent wall in this bathroom looks lovely! Rather than painting the whole wall, it’s only used above the chair railing, with a bright, crisp white below. Keeps the room bright and airy, but gives the room a little more visual appeal than selecting just one color throughout.
16. Great for a Minimalist Look
Modern Gray for modern style decor? Yes, please! It reads as an off-white in this bright bathroom from @crowntileandcustomworks but lends a perfect amount of warmth and softness to the space.
Exteriors using SW Modern Gray
17. Modern Gray Walls with Bright Accents
Linda Lowney Design knows Modern Gray pairs well with blues. Here, against the bright blue accents, it reads as a lovely creamy off-white on the walls of this enclosed porch area.
18. Creamy Exterior Paint
When you want Sherwin Williams Modern Gray to read less gray and more off-white, try pairing it with a darker shade. Doesn’t it look great on home exteriors like this one from @inside_story_sd?
Other Spaces Using Modern Gray Paint
19. Beige or Greige in Low Light?
Lighting and decor definitely impact how a shape-shifting shade like this one appears. Check out the gray undertones in the cool shadows against the beige undertones in the light in this office by Colorsmith ABQ.
20. Subtle Gray for an Entryway
The bright natural light pulls out the gray qualities of this paint. It’s light and bright and looks great with both the white trim and dark accents.
21. Happy in a Hallway
With these cool, natural blonde floors, Modern Gray is looking cooler than it could if the flooring was more of a warm oak.
22. Off-White in Sun-Drenched Spaces
Here in this hallway, the varied lighting shows off several faces of this paint. In the corner of the bench seat, you can see the blue undertones, maybe even some reflection of green coming in from outside.
And in the brighter areas, you can catch a glimpse of the taupe undertones, with the overall effect looking almost off-white. And in the darker spots, more of the cool gray. The overall picture? Pretty.
23. Clutch as a Cabinet Color
Modern Gray is looking great in this clean and classy laundry room as a cabinet color, pairing well with the white/gray quartz, but also that super herringbone brick.
24. Cool Canvas in a Kids’ Bedroom
If you’d like a neutral for your little ones’ room, but don’t want white, think gray?
25. Inviting Entry in Modern Gray
I think Modern Gray hits its’ stride in situations where it works with lightbulbs. Some paints can really look awful under artificial light, but Modern Gray just shows its’ sophisticated notes as the lamps bring out the greige in this shade.
If you love the category of modern greige and beige shades, check out Sherwin Williams Modern Gray. This stunning light warm greige paint looks stunning in nearly every room of the house, and after seeing it in the examples in this post, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s now on your shortlist!
And if this is a color you’re seriously considering, remember paint-sampling is better than ending up paint-sorry! I highly recommend these peel and stick samples because they are inexpensive, re-usable and re-positionable…
Pin this paint color for later! And if you use this paint shade, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others decide if 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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