SW Worldly Gray: LRV, Undertones & a Lot More!
When choosing the best warm gray, taupe, or greige paint color, it’s easy to get distracted by a pretty Pinterest page. However, you must research LRV, undertones, and ALLLL the other things that go into making a paint color work (or not) for you and your home. This is why today, we’re taking a closer look at…
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WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS WORLDLY GRAY? IS IT WARM OR COOL?
Worldly Gray is a warm paint color that can EASILY be seen as a warm gray or a greige, depending on your perception. How it’s perceived can also shift depending on the exposure of the room you’re putting it in. Generally speaking, Worldly Gray IS a greige at heart due to its degree of warmth and undertones (coming up shortly).
If you have a north-facing room, Worldly Gray can look more like a warm gray (meaning it will look a bit grayer/cooler), whereas it will lean a bit more into its warmth with south-facing light or warm afternoon sunshine.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
WHAT’S THE LRV OF WORLDLY GRAY?
Worldly Gray has an LRV of 57, which puts it in the light range but on the HEAVIER side of it (learn more HERE).
A color with this LRV will hold its look a bit better in a super bright room compared to a color with a higher LRV. If you have a dark room, though, a color like Worldly Gray can look a bit dingy, so you’ll need some good interior lighting to back it up!
This next room is in a basem*nt and doesn’t get any natural light. However, because there’s enough interior lighting, Worldly Gray holds its own reasonably well…
But of course, in a room with good natural light, Worldly Gray will look its most beautiful…
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
WHAT ARE WORLDLY GRAY’S UNDERTONES? PURPLE, GREEN, BLUE?
While the undertones of Worldly Gray are super passive, it does favor a very mild green. Colors like Worldly Gray cater to violet or green. The more a color commits to its undertone, the less likely it is to grab the other.
So, with Worldly Gray being just a ‘bit’ committed to green, in some lights, it could pick up a slightly taupe (violet) hue (but not by much – don’t be scared.) Most of the time, it shows up as pretty darn neutral. If you don’t like green undertones, you still might like Worldly Gray, as it has a more passive approach than Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter.
Get your Samplize Peel & Stick sample of Worldly Gray HERE!
WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE COLOR FOR TRIMS & CABINETS WITH WORLDLY GRAY?
When choosing a white paint color for your trim with Worldly Gray, be careful that your white isn’t too creamy-yellow. I highly recommend…
- Sherwin Williams Pure White
- Sherwin Williams High Reflective White
- Benjamin Moore White Dove
SHOULD I Paint My Wood Cabinets White? A QUESTIONNAIRE
The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
IS WORLDLY GRAY A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?
Well, if your roof, stone, brick, and other exterior features can support a mild, warm green undertone, then it certainly could work, although I won’t say it’s a popular choice. My Online Color Consulting clients are usually inclined towards Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray and Anew Gray on their exteriors (when looking at this type of color.)
5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO WORLDLY GRAY
You won’t find an exact match for ANY color between brands – you’ll see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths. However, there are some with similar intentions but different approaches…
WORLDLY GRAY vs. AGREEABLE GRAY
If it’s a popularity contest, Agreeable Gray wins…by a long shot. But this doesn’t mean it’s the best color for you and your home. Like Worldly Gray, Agreeable Gray is also a greige. However, Agreeable Gray easily looks like a taupe as it has even less green undertone than Worldly Gray. Worldly Gray has more of an earthy, organic warmth compared to Agreeable Gray and a bit more depth compared to Agreeable Gray’s LRV of 60.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
WORLDLY GRAY vs. BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER
Worldly Gray and Revere Pewter are great colors to compare for your walls, cabinets, or exterior. Both colors can pass as warm gray or greige, and both harbor a green undertone. The noticeable difference is in depth, as Revere Pewter has an LRV of 55, giving it a more dense, organic look compared to Worldly Gray’s LRV of 57.
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
WORLDLY GRAY vs. REPOSE GRAY
While we compared apples to apples with Agreeable Gray and Revere Pewter, Repose Gray is more noticeably different from Worldly Gray. Sure, Repose Gray has an LRV of 58, so it’s similar in depth to Worldly Gray; however, Repose Gray is a more legit warm shade of gray, making Worldly Gray look greige in comparison.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
WHAT PAINT COLORS LOOK GOOD WITH IT?
If I want to partner Worldly Gray with other colors in a palette, I might look at…
- Some gray paint colors with a lower LRV, especially blue-gray blends
- Super passive creamy-tan hybrids, such as Sherwin Williams White Duck and other flexible, warm shades of off-white
- Colors that are DARKER VERSIONS of it, like Sherwin Williams Anonymous (shown below) and Felted Wool
- Subtly warm shades of white
READ MORE
NEED HELP?
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN AND ONLINE VIRTUAL PAINT COLOR EXPERT, SPECIALIZING IN BENJAMIN MOORE AND SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT COLORS DIY DECORATING AND DESIGN ADVICE BLOGGER
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED IN 2024
