The 10 Best Warm Grey Paint Colours from Sherwin Williams

The 10 Best Warm Grey Paint Colours from Sherwin Williams

Looking for that new neutral colour to spruce up your space? Forget about beige! Grey is the new beige and has taken the design world by storm. If beige paint is currently part of your home decor, the right grey is out there just waiting to take its place. Grey is the perfect neutral paint colour and has such versatility due to the wide range of available undertones. Warm grey, or greige as it is sometimes called, most closely resembles beige and can be used almost interchangeably with it.

When looking for words to describe our homes, few of us would say that we want them to feel cold, stark or uninviting.  Rather most of my friends, family and clients always come back to the same basic description.  We want our homes to feel warm, cozy and welcoming…something with some character.  Those of us in more northerly places usually want to double down on the cozy feel, especially in those winter months.

Versatile Gray living room via babywatchome.com

So how do we give our decor a fresh start without leaving you feeling chilled?  Creating the right mood for your space starts with picking the right paint colour.  If you are trying to ease yourself into the world of grey, warm grey is where you need to start. 

Every major paint brand has their own selection, but here are my top 10 favourite warm grey colours from Sherwin Williams.

Top 10 warm grey colours from Sherwin Williams

1. Alpaca SW7022 

2. Requisite Gray SW7023

3. Functional Gray SW7024

4. Anew Gray

5. Agreeable Gray SW7029

6. Versatile Gray SW6072

7. Popular Gray SW6071

8. Colonnade Gray SW7641

9. Polished Concrete SW9167

10. Proper Gray SW6003

The key to finding the right grey for your space is by sampling the available options thoroughly.  Once you have a collection of sample cards, lay them out together and you will immediately see how some start to pull cooler with blue undertones, while others are noticeably warmer.  Warm grey tends to have a hint of brown to them that give the colours that feeling of warmth.

Alpaca dining room

Why choose a warm grey?

One of the things I like best about warm grey is how well it works with a variety of wood tones.  With the focus in design on adding rustic touches to our decor, warm grey can give our spaces a contemporary edge while blending natural materials like wood and stone.

Versatile Gray living room via babywatchome.com

They other thing I love about greys in general, is how they appear to change colour throughout the day.  Warm grey appears almost taupe in morning and evening light.  In cooler midday or artificial light, however, they turn a purer shade of grey without the tinge of blue tones.

Requisite Gray bathroom via The Yellow Cape Cod

So what are you waiting for?  If you are thinking about trying out grey in your home, start sampling warm greys today!  Need extra help?  Check out my recent post on how to pick the perfect grey.  Drop me a comment below with your favourite grey shade.  I’d love to hear what worked for you.

30 Comment

1.  Victoria says:February 20, 2018 at 7:53 amLove your post! I just painted my bedroom Proper Gray and I absolutely love it! I had initially picked Essential Gray & Proper Gray to sample and I planned on going with the lighter color. Once I saw the difference in those two grays, I knew I needed a warm gray in this room. It has a lot of natural light so I wasn’t too worried about it’s LRV. During the morning it does have a taupe look to it but it changes back to gray later in the evening. I’m so thankful I had Pinterest to help me choose my new shade of Gray! Now I’m ready to paint my son’s room but his room has very little natural light. I’m thinking Essential Gray might work in there but I’m still debating.Reply
   1.  oneplustwo says:February 20, 2018 at 3:56 pmHi Victoria! I am so glad it helped! Choosing paint colours is always made to seem so easy but can actually be pretty overwhelming when you take each room’s lighting and decor factors into consideration. Good luck with your son’s room, let me know how it goes!Reply
2.  cathy mcdaniel says:April 9, 2018 at 2:56 amwe are building a new home, my husband is the builder and does a good majority of the work. We just added rough cut wood paneling to the cathedral ceiling in the lodge room which has very tall windows completely covering the back wall. the paneling is a mixture of aged grey , brown and yellowish tones. We are now needing to choose a wall colors…the foyer, dining, kitchen, lodge and keeping room are all very open….I wanted a greige color, but not too dark to keep the room from becoming too dark. Can you make a suggestion…would be glad to send picsReply
   1.  oneplustwo says:April 10, 2018 at 3:59 amHi Cathy. I would be happy to give you some ideas. If you could please email me a couple of pictures, that would help a lot. If you could please send one of the overall space and a slightly up-close picture of the paneling, I will see what I can suggest. Thanks! 
   2.  Erin says:April 19, 2018 at 6:15 pmI would love to see what your rough but wood paneling looks like and what paint colors you ladies come up with! We are in the framing stage of our build and have a cathedral ceiling in our great room with a wall of windows as well.Reply
   3.  Debra Barnes says:August 21, 2018 at 12:36 pmPlease Help! I am wanting to repaint my home and I am so overwhelmed with choosing the right color I can’t decide what to choose. I have a lot of med to dark brown tones through out my home. Cabinets, bathroom floor tile, med brown wood floors, the stone on fire place and dark leather furniture. I will be getting new furniture but wanted to paint first. The tile, the granite, and the stone in the fireplace has some grays and off white mixed in with the browns, My kitchen and is opened to living room and the dining room is opened but in a separate room. I would be glad to send a few pictures if that would help. Thank youReply
      1.  oneplustwo says:September 3, 2018 at 4:25 pmHi! I would love to have a look! If you could email some pictures would definitely be a big help. I would say you’re going to want to stay in the greige family, but we could certainly work in some greys if you like.
3.  Deb says:June 10, 2018 at 1:30 pmGreat article! I love Agreeable gray but our vaulted ceiling living room has few windows and no recessed lighting. Will this be too dark? We currently have a faux suede paint and needs some lightening up. Thanks!Reply
   1.  oneplustwo says:June 11, 2018 at 8:07 pmHi! Thanks so much for your comment. Agreeable grey is definitely a lighter paint colour, but to brighten it up a bit try pairing it with white. Your ceiling, trim, window coverings, furnishings, accessories…all great places you can add pops of white to freshen up your space.Reply
4.  Tammy says:June 11, 2018 at 2:12 amI have St Cecilia gold granite and thinking of painting the glazed cabinets only because they have yellowed so much. I am looking for good wall color. Kitchen and adjoining keeping room with high ceilings and 9 windows. I have always had tans and currently green but need an update. Grays or taupe. I have samples so many.Reply
   1.  oneplustwo says:June 11, 2018 at 7:59 pmHi! If you have a lot of golden, warm tones I would try a colour like Functional Grey or Alpaca. Stick to something in the Greige family so that your existing warm tones are not harshly contrasted but are subtly toned down.Reply
5.  Suzanne says:June 20, 2018 at 12:37 pmJust painted my 2000 bathroom in “Tempered Gray” (which is a Valspar color) and it looks great with my “honey colored” cabinets and mottled beige floor tiles. Loved the Alpaca color also but was worried it would make the space seem too dark, so the Tempered Gray was the perfect choice for us.Reply
   1.  oneplustwo says:June 26, 2018 at 4:46 amFantastic! Thanks for the colour suggestion! I will have to check that one out.Reply
6.  Deborah Lewis says:June 26, 2018 at 7:07 amHi there, I am about to repaint my lounge. My thought process is a light, warm grey on the walls. Decor-wise, blending a dark grey couch with other wood elements (cosy being the operative word and I just love rustic but with slightly modern lines) bringing in texture with cushions etc…and lots of plants, so so far, colour-pallet is greys, brown of the wood and green of the plants. I am a bit confused as to which grey undertone to go with considering the green of the plants. A green undertone? Or neautral? The Alpaca seems a good choice? 🙂Reply
   1.  oneplustwo says:July 10, 2018 at 5:30 pmWoW! I love the sounds of your design! Modern rustic mix, we are totally on the same page. One other thing to consider is the direction your room faces and the light that naturally pours in. For example, cool tones look cooler in north facing rooms and warm tones warmer in south facing rooms. Green is a bit of a cool colour, so you may want to play that up or down depending on the overall feel you want in the room. Alpaca is a warmer grey which could give a nice balance to the green. Only caution would be if you have a lot of natural sunlight in the room, Alpaca might feel a bit more taupe that grey. Hope that helps!Reply
7.  Maryam Krupa says:July 4, 2018 at 6:45 pmLovely site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also.Reply
8.  Maureen says:July 25, 2018 at 10:14 pmDo you think agreeable gray will be too light or boring looking with oak cabinets and trim? my house is a split level and is not the easiest to paint since the same wall is part of different rooms. I’m driving myself nuts trying to figure out a gray/greige color. My husband is not about to change out all the golden oak woodwork. Thanks!Reply
   1.  oneplustwo says:July 30, 2018 at 4:35 pmHi Maureen. Agreeable Gray or Anew Gray would probably be great warm grey colours for you to consider. Alone, most wall colours can seem a little boring.
      It’s what you do with the finishing touches that can really add personality to your space. If you want to spice things up once things are painted, go for some bold window coverings, rugs or accent pieces. Good luck!Reply
9.  Chris says:July 28, 2018 at 12:20 pmHi my name is Chris and I am confused on what paint for kitchen! I feel I’m going to go with bm Ashley gray in living room, My condo is set where dining room and living room are open to one another. There is a. wall with a beautiful arched opening that separates it, I thought I should do a lite color and then the Ashley gray. I have cream cabinets with med hardwood floors. What color would you recommend for kitchen? Thank youReply
   1.  oneplustwo says:July 30, 2018 at 4:27 pmHi Chris. Thanks for the question. Condos and other small spaces can be tricky when choosing rich colours and changing colours between spaces. If you like the drama of Ashley Gray then you could go for it in your kitchen with the cream cabinets as well. This will keep the spaces flowing together. Balance the deeper colour with lighter decor choices in your window coverings and accent pieces.
      If you want to mix it up, try something in the range of Sherwin Williams’ Alpaca or Anew Gray. These are nice light, warm greys to complement your mid-toned floors. Thanks!Reply
10.  Diane K Larsen says:July 29, 2018 at 6:18 amThinking of painting entire house Agreeable Gray – major rooms face the West – tons of sunlight In Vegas. Do you think that is a goof choice…Restoration Hardware Modern in entire home…lots of brown wood, brass accented furniture.Reply
    1.  oneplustwo says:July 30, 2018 at 4:12 pmHi Diane. Thanks for reaching out! Ultimately it depends on the feel you are going for. If you want to keep a clear sense of grey while warming it with the wood, Agreeable Gray might be a bit too warm. It will likely feel more like taupe in a sunlight filled room. We have a similar situation with a southern exposure and decided to go with Repose Gray throughout. We are adding in wood elements as we work through our reno and have been really happy with Repose Grey so far. It is a nice light grey without feel cold in the north facing rooms of our house. Hope that helps! Love to know how it works out!Reply
11.  Nicole Heiny says:August 29, 2018 at 11:27 pmHello, I’m repainting my kitchen. We currently have honey colored maple cabinets, taupe backsplash, black granite countertops, & a taupe/grey colored ceramic floor. We have an open concept kitchen that is full sun all day. Which color tone would you recommend? I currently have sampled virtual taupe (which is prob too dark), moth wing, & living Greige. I have no idea what to choose. Our great room is all tan. Thank YouReply
    1.  oneplustwo says:September 3, 2018 at 4:19 pmHi! I would maybe try Sherwin Williams Taupe Tone (SW7633) if you want a beiger option. Perfect Greige (SW6073) or Versatile Gray (SW6072) if you want to add a touch more of grey. These colours should blend well with your existing tan as the sunlight will warm them. Compare your new colour to your existing walls, you will probably want something a little lighter or a little darker as this will help them blend nicely.Reply
12.  CHERYL A. WALTER says:September 17, 2018 at 1:11 pmMy house was build in the late 60’s kitchen is in the middle of the house. Very dark cabinets ,thinking of doing white cabinets, with gray walls. Wall connects to living room,dinning,room,an family room. I have medium natural lighting in all other rooms.Would you do grays in all rooms?Reply
    1.  oneplustwo says:October 16, 2018 at 6:05 pmHi! It would depend a bit if you have continuous walls or have any natural breaks between rooms. If walls are continuous I would go with a single colour throughout. Depending on the feel you want in the finished space, you could go grey which can be crisp and fresh or maybe with a greige that might have more warmth to it. Consider your flooring and exposures as these will affect how you see the colour you select. If you have natural maple floors for example, a grey wall colour will make your flooring feel really yellow. A safe greige option might be Sherwin Williams Anew Gray (SW 7030). Hope that helps!Reply
13.  Sandy says:October 5, 2018 at 12:18 pmHi I want to paint my living room it’s on the north east side and I have tried different grey samples and they look lilac I want a paint that doesn’t have purple or blue I want to paint a light to medium color I have know ideal what to chooseReply
    1.  oneplustwo says:October 16, 2018 at 5:56 pmHi! We just finished painting our whole house in Sherwin Williams Repose Grey (SW 7015) and it turned out great, definitely light and airy. We have been really happy with this colour and haven’t noticed any undertones in any of our rooms or varying exposures. We are considering adding a feature wall in our master bedroom and I am leaning towards Dorian Grey (SW 7017) for a little more depth. Hope that helps!Reply
14.  Lois Hicks says:October 20, 2018 at 6:30 pmI have a lot of gray in my home and I love it…but I want to paint my living and dining room in gray also, but don’t know if I have too much grey..I have chair rail throughout also and was looking at how sometimes the dark is at the top and sometimes the darker color is at the bottom…I am leaning with the darker at the top to give some contrast from the white ceilings and the cream at the bottom..but I find your gray colors like mindful gray and agreeable gray lean more to the taupe side…I am not seeing a lot of gray in these colors..would like to know how you feel….thanksReply
    1.  oneplustwo says:October 24, 2018 at 5:17 pmHi Lois! I do think that painting the higher portion of the walls will give you some extra drama. The room will feel cozier and little more custom by taking the risk on the darker colour above your chair rail. I would go for it!As far as colours go…Mindful Gray is a nice grey-grey, Agreeable Gray will definitely lean towards taupe. Because you’re mixing with a cream below, you’re pulling the warmer tones out of the grey which is making them feel warmer. Dorian Gray and Dovetail are a bit richer versions of Mindful Gray and might give you more of the tone you are looking for. Watch out for cooler greys with blue undertones, they will really pop against your warm creams and may not give you the look you want. Hope that helps!Reply