Is there a SW paint that is comparable to Agreeable Gray but lighter?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I don't want to have them lighten it because we will be paint matching with PPG paints as it is. I like the color, but it is just too dark. I am also leaning toward BM's Pale Oak, which is nice but am worried it won't match my carpeting well. I am considering PPG's Silent Smoke as well, but I don't have a sample of that one yet. There will be a medium/darkish hickory floor but the bedrooms and basement will be carpeted It is a light grayish beige.

If anyone knows of lighter Agreeable Gray look-alike, please let me know!

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PRO

Beth H. :

6 years ago

kate, your lighting in the home, and exterior lighting will change the looks of any color. just because we say, 'try this one', doesn't mean it's going to work.

the best thing to do is get numerous samples and try them in all of the rooms. look at the swatches throughout the day.

try Pale Oak, try some of these others.

Drift of Mist would be similar, but lighter

have you tried Revere Pewter?

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Comments (33)

Amy Wallace
6 years ago
I just painted my bedroom in BM Pale Oak below the chair rail and BM White Dove which I darkened 25% above the rail.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Have SW shoot a can with the colorant cut in half
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wdccruise
6 years ago
The Sherwin-Williams website shows Futon and Downy as similar to but lighter than Agreeable Gray.
User
Original Author
6 years ago
Will check those out Lawrence, thank you.

Amy, Pale Oak does look pretty gray in your photo - maybe that will work for me after all. Thanks for sharing.

MS Colors, I was hoping to avoid messing with "half strength" because I'll be color-matching as it is if I don't use a PPG color. The builder uses PPG paints. Thank you though!
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PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
6 years ago
Does anyone use color chips any more?
User
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
To Virgil Carter Fine Art: I guess that is meant to be sarcasm, or frustration, but, sorry, I do not have a lot of experience in paint. When I search it on SW's site it's the lightest in the grouping.

edit: So when I search the number below, it comes up with Incredible white which seems to be quite a bit lighter. Not sure if it is really the lighter version. Or even if that is the way colors are grouped.

Is that what I was supposed to do???
User
Original Author
6 years ago
i will be buying samples to try in a new home, but am hoping to narrow down the samples i want to buy because I'll have a pretty short window to put them on my walls before I have to make a decision. I will try Balboa Mist, but Revere Pewter looks a bit greener and just as dark. Light French Gray looks to be an option too. I have a sample of Pale Oak but it's looking slightly beige with my carpet sample. Agreeable Gray looks the best but is just a tad dark. I looked up the number below and it's called "Incredible White" but it looks a LOT lighter. Shoot!! I will try it anyway. Also the "Drift of Mist" looks promising.

Thanks to all!
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Amy Wallace
6 years ago
The Pale Oak on the wall I showed you is right beside a window and does look like a gray brown, but in the closet, it looks more greige.

I did BM Revere Pewter in my laundry room (wall with the door), which is directly open to my kitchen that’s SW Dorian Gray. I did darken the BM Revere Pewter 25%.
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Amy Wallace
6 years ago
In my experience, Balboa Mist had a lot of purple/pink undertones in very lighted places. We replaced that color after painting it above the chair rail with the White Dove which I see no undertones to it other than creams which I wanted for the contrast.
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
6 years ago
If anyone knows of lighter Agreeable Gray look-alike, please let me know!

You're right to not mess with cutting the formula. The result is kinda sad, dull and lifeless - not a pretty color. I've done it. Here's the video. https://youtu.be/uNxcWC-6lvU

A lighter SW version of AG is White Heron 7627.
User thanked Lori A. Sawaya
Rawketgrl
6 years ago
PPG Whites that work with PPG Whiskers or SW Agreeable Gray:

PPG Commercial White

PPG Whiskers (similar to SW Agreeable Gray)

PPG Pure White
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pink_peony
6 years ago
My cabinets are SW Extra White and my wall color is SW Agreeable gray.
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wdccruise
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
The Sherwin-Williams website shows Extra White as a coordinating color for Agreeable Gray.
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Lori A. Sawaya
6 years ago
PPG's color match to Extra White is pretty. I've used PPG's Break Through mixed in SW's EW in my own home.
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Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks to you all again. You've definitely been helpful. Hard to muddle through all this. Will grab a sample of Extra white! And will check out PPG Whiskers - it does look very close to Agreeable Gray - on paper anyway. It would be nice not to have to rely on color matching for everything!
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User
Original Author
6 years ago
I'm still searching and have come to the conclusion that Pale Oak looks better than Agreeable Gray. In certain lights it does look a wee bit too beige or pink though so I'm still trying other samples.

Lori, I did try White Heron and it was just too light. It seemed too close to white. Also, I didn't say before this is a new build and the paint is for the whole house. So I know there will be rooms that it just doesn't go well in. I'm just trying to nail down 5 good options to take to the house when they get the drywall up to try out.

I have about 15 sample sheets from Samplize.

Pale Oak - frontrunner- good in well lit areas, but seems too beige in darker rooms

Agreeable Gray - a bit too "muddy" gray

White Heron - too light

Crushed Ice - too light

On the Rocks - too blue/gray

Classic Gray - washed out, kind of pale-looking

Gossamer Veil - from descriptions I was excited to get this sample, thinking it was my "in-between" Pale Oak and Agreeable Gray, but all I saw was a sickly green.

Edgecomb Gray - too yellow

Revere Pewter - too green

Balboa Mist - too blue/purple

Elder White - too light

Modern Gray - too gray

Am I being ridiculous?? I never thought of myself as this picky but the only one I can say I "like" when I see it is Pale Oak. My carpet leans gray but does have a beige look in lighter rooms. I guess any color I pick won't look right in some rooms and eventually we'll paint but I certainly would rather find a nice neutral to last a couple years. Something in the LRV 60s, and maybe smack dab in the middle of gray and beige.

I will have the builder try PPG's Silent Smoke but otherwise I'm out of ideas.
User
Original Author
6 years ago
Oh, I tried Popular Gray - too gray, and Colonnade Gray- too gray and too dark
mojomom
6 years ago
I cut Popular Gray 50% and love it. We wanted a warm almost white stony color that isn’t too gray. It has different moods in different rooms and lighting
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Wish by BM

is lighter version of Agreeable Gray SW

Both colors have yellow undertones. Wish is more at yellow-green side, that makes it. lighter (brighter). LRV is almost the same.
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PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
6 years ago
Here is color snap by SW for your carpet.

So you might want to move different direction.
User thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
User
Original Author
6 years ago
Your home is gorgeous, mojomom! I love that stone and floor in the first pic! The wall color works well in your home! Our builder uses PPG, so if we got with SW or BM they'll have to color match and I don't want to mess with them having to lighten or darken, I think it will be hard enough to match things as it is. Thank you though!
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Rawketgrl
6 years ago
PPG colors:

Crushed Silk:

Moth Gray

Synchronicity
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Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
@celerygirl I assume that's an app! That is cool, thank you! I'll have to look at it. I had shared a pic I took of the carpet at the store, but now I have samples so I could take a better pic. Worldly Gray was on my radar, but I keep seeing people saying it looks purple so I didn't get a sample. I'm thinking I need more beige-y than I thought. I need something between Pale Oak and Agreeable gray.
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User
Original Author
6 years ago
@Rawketgrl Will look at Synchronicity - that one looks best to me of those, thank you!
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
What is good in Worldly Gray , it is neutral color with a light shade of brown with yellow hue. When I looked at it in SW paint site, then saw that Wordly gray is in one strip with brown, but cold brown, that is good.
PRO
Precision Granite & Marble
6 years ago

I am a fan of SW worldly grey- I have it in 2 areas in my house and it works warmer and cooler tones. Pictures are of almost completed areas!
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Marina Kovalski
4 years ago
What did you go with? We are having the same paint debate here
Cassie Robinson
4 years ago
Yes please share!
nklspence
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I'm having the same problem. Agreeable gray to gray & blue tones w/north facing window. Pale oak is good, but not as good as I would like next to light reddish/org brown wood trim. Selling house & realtor said to go more on the warm white side as we need to lighten rooms. Need one color for all rooms.
hillbmyn
3 years ago
Gossamer Veil I love, I know that I’m late but it’s a beautiful neutral!
Miss Tati
2 years ago
For those who find this thread and have the same question, I think Egret White with LRV of 70 is in the middle with same undertone. Lightest to dark = White Heron < Egret White < Gossamer Veil < Agreeable Gray
HU-364045063
last year
I was having a terrible problem picking a gray whole house color. I wanted something light and warm. I ended up with Pale Oak. It’s gorgeous in every room. Light and warm off white in a neutral ivory living room with afternoon sun. It never looks pink or purple. Just deeper warm gray or light gray/off white depending on lighting and time of day. It’s very neutral as I have mostly neutral surroundings. You can add color easily. I added a purple vase and some black accents in the living room. Benjamin Moore white for the trim.