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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

Color experts: Help with paint alternatives please!

6 years ago

Can someone help suggest a BM or SW green-gray color that is similar but less green than SW Chatroom? I think I would like it to have less green and more warm gray without it looking plain GRAY or GREEN. The surrounding area is painted SW Mindful Gray which we love for it's slight warmth but would like something for this room that has a little color but still quite neutral. Our style is a bit MCM but not overly so.

SW Techno Gray on left, SW Chatroom on right. We like the intensity of Chatroom but it's a bit too green.

Featured Answer

gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago

6 years ago

I did my kitchen & FR in SW Gateway Gray, colored at 50% Sometimes it looks a little bit blue-gray; sometimes green-gray. It doesn't look anything like the online pic shows in my house. Something to look into; full strength or whatever.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
There isn't a color that is basically the same as Chatroom just less green in SW or BenM. You have to look in other brands. Of these two, Cinderblock is the better option IMO.

Cinderblock by Ralph Lauren RLUL222 or UL05

Sea Gull Grey #A1837 from Glidden The Master Palette found at Home Depot
Lisa G
Original Author
6 years ago
Lori, is there another color (SW or BM) that you'd recommend looking at that is a muddier/muted green-gray color? It doesn't need to be similar in formula to Chatroom, I guess what I mean is that I like the LRV of it and that it is a bit of a grayed out green, but that I'd like even more gray or brown in it. I don't think RL Cinder block or Glidden Sea Gull Gray have enough color in them to see a clear difference from SW Mindful Gray. I'm sure there's something darker than Mindful Gray with more green in it...I just have to find It! What about BM Herbal Escape?
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Lisa G
Original Author
6 years ago
gracie01, I do have a Swatch of Gateway Gray and was considering getting a sample. I couldn't tell if it was too similar to Chatroom or not.
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
6 years ago
Are you looking at the colors online or are you looking at actual paint chips?
Lisa G
Original Author
6 years ago
I'm looking at the actual paint chips and also Googling images of the colors in people's houses.
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
6 years ago
The pictures online, the swatches you find on Pinterest etc. are worthless. Your device/monitor is only capable of displaying a tiny fraction of the colors we see in real life.

Do you have a chip of Herbal Escape?
Lisa G thanked Lori A. Sawaya
Lisa G
Original Author
6 years ago
Yes, I have the actual chip of Herbal Escape.

When I do look online at paint colors I don't look at the digital swatches, I look at photos of people's living rooms, bedrooms, etc. You are correct, monitors can't depict the colors accurately but it usually gives me a general idea. It can be very misleading also, as I saw several photos of SW Acier that looked like a beautiful Gray green but my actual chip is very dark gray with a slight purple hint in my house. I also remember being set on BM Gray Owl for the main area until the swatch went up...it was almost white with a very blue undertone.
Lisa G
Original Author
6 years ago
BM Fieldstone was also one I was looking at but it's maybe too blue? Sea Haze turned out bright blue in my room.

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