Our Review of Gray Matters by Sherwin Williams

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Gray exterior paint colors are still trending, and today we’re reviewing an easy, neutral option: Gray Matters by Sherwin Williams. If you’re looking to take your home’s exterior from dull to wow, this may be the color for you. We’ll go over the technical details, our recommended applications, and color schemes that incorporate Gray Matter as a central or accent color. Keep reading to learn more about Gray Matters by Sherwin Williams.

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Cape Cod style home with large wood pergola over porch and black roof

Sherwin Williams’ Gray Matters: The specs

Sherwin Williams’ Gray Matters has an LRV of 39. Although it’s technically in the ‘low range’ on the LRV scale, this gray paint is still considered a well-balanced, mid-toned neutral. (Curious about LRV? Learn more here, including why LRV is so important to keep in mind when choosing the perfect paint color for your home.)

Gray Matters does have the slightest green and tiniest blue undertone making it a ‘cool’ paint color. Keep this in mind when choosing complementing hues.

WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND SAMPLING AND TESTING PAINT COLORS BEFORE COMMITTING. FACTORS SUCH AS NATURAL LIGHTING, UNDERTONES, AND YOUR PROPERTY’S FIXED ELEMENTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOW A COLOR WILL APPEAR ON YOUR EXTERIOR. OUR FRIENDS AT SAMPLIZE OFFER EXTRA-LARGE 9 X 14.75 INCH PEEL-AND-STICK PAINT SAMPLES OF THE COLORS WE LOVE FOR EXTERIORS. ORDER YOUR ‘REAL PAINT, NO MESS’ SAMPLES FROM SAMPLIZE HERE.
traditional farmhouse style exterior with black awnings, black garage doors, and gray siding

Recommended applications for Gray Matters

Contemporary, modern, and some traditional homes are elevated with Gray Matters. On contemporary homes, this gray is sleek, just like the architecture. For traditional homes, it adds a touch of elegance. Because of its versatility, our designers have found ways to use Gray Matters as both a central and accent color.

The design above shows Gray Matters on the Hardie Board siding and brick. Our designers suggested a slight contrast on the trim, fascia, and soffits, using Sherwin Williams’ Gauntlet Gray, and went one touch darker with Sherwin Williams’ Urban Bronze on the windows and gutters. Black awnings and garage doors create a more distinct contrast with Gray Matters while tying the color palette together with the darker roof shingles.

contemporary home with a color blocking paint scheme in gray hues

Gray Matters color pairings

Color pairings for Gray Matters are a bit limited, but what is available is gorgeous. With the addition of landscaping and wood or copper elements, a color scheme featuring Gray Matters can be homey and welcoming.

For a perfectly coordinated color palette, Gray Matters joins Moderne White, Roycroft Pewter, and Iron Ore (all by Sherwin Williams) in the rendering above. We incorporated some warmth with the addition of wood on the entry and soffits. Modern black windows complete the color scheme while complementing Iron Ore on the home’s skirting, behind the minimal landscaping. This design is a great example of how color blocking with paint can take a simple façade to new heights.

three story stucco home with wood cladding, Spanish tile accents, and stained wood fencing

Next, we used Gray Matters on the trim in the above design, paired with Cityscape by Sherwin Williams as the central color. An updated fence, copper gutters, a wood door, and wood lap siding interrupts the gray façade. Porcelain tile on the arched entry in a Spanish hacienda pattern provides an interesting touch, plus it coordinates with both the grays and the white windows.

virtual exterior rendering of a gray traditional home with black and copper accents, solar panels, and outdoor living spaces

With an outdoor living space from our dreams, this traditional home was designed with Gray Matters as the field color and Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore on the trim. Classic Gray is a light gray, off-white color that brightens Gray Matters, minimizing its undertones and allowing it to appear as a true neutral. Black accents keep the façade modern, and warm touches on the dining set and gutters prevent a flat, monochromatic appearance.

gray farmhouse with black windows, a large outdoor living area, paver patio, cedar columns, and white stair railing

Pros and cons of Gray Matters by Sherwin Williams

PROS:

  • A great neutral with barely notable undertones
  • Can be used as a central or accent color
  • Looks great in many environments, including urban, suburban, and rural

CONS:

  • Pretty limited color pairings
  • Not for all home styles
  • Can appear flat without contrasting hues

Alternatives to Gray Matters

Below are a couple alternatives to Gray Matters if you’re still on the fence about your exterior paint color options.

dark gray rancher with a cedar pergola, white windows with window boxes, and copper gutters

Benjamin Moore’s Chelsea Gray

Chelsea Gray by Benjamin Moore is one of our favorite gray exterior paint colors. It has an LRV of 22.16, so it’s quite a bit darker than Gray Matters, but our recommended applications and color pairings are almost identical. You’ll still find our designers using Chelsea Gray alongside blacks, browns, and other shades of grays.

a brown-gray two story farmhouse with cedar columns and portico, black windows, rock and shrub landscaping, and stone cladding.

Benjamin Moore’s Rockport Gray

Perhaps Gray Matters and Chelsea Gray are too ‘cool’ for you. Rockport Gray by Benjamin Moore is a warm hue that’s actually more of a greige than gray. Its LRV is 35.65, so it’s only a bit darker than Gray Matters. It has slight green undertones, but similar to Gray Matters, they’re barely noticeable. The warmth of Rockport Gray means color pairing options are wider, especially in the white/off-white paint category. A warm white like Shoji White by Sherwin Williams would look wonderful with this neutral greige.

charcoal gray cabin with a metal roof, three dormer windows, a large covered porch, and stone driveway

The bottom line on Gray Matters by Sherwin Williams

Gray Matters is a beautiful choice for a modern and sophisticated home exterior. It works well as a central color when anchored by lighter or darker complementing hues, but can also accent a home as a secondary shade. Its muted tones allow for pairings with bolder colors like black and blues. Although it may not be for all home styles, it can completely transform the right home to be a statement on the block.

At brick&batten, we are experts at recommending the right color choices for your home and its environment. We take into account the amount of natural light you get, your desired style, preferred/existing accent colors, and more to ensure the perfect hue for your home. The process is easy. Answers to a few short questions and photos of your home are all we need to get going. With this information, we will produce a virtual design of your home with our suggested paint colors. You’ll also receive a clickable resource list that helps you execute the upgrade. What are you waiting for? Let’s make your dream reality. Get started here.

Author

Originally from Tennessee, Ami currently lives in South Carolina, which has been home since leaving the military in 2016. Interior and exterior design has always intrigued Ami, especially the styles and characteristics seen in other countries as an avid traveler and photographer. She lives for the renewal of older or historic homes that maintain their character, and regularly creates her own mood boards and virtual designs for inspiration or to help others with their spaces. Having always had a passion for design and following their work for years prior, Ami was excited to be brought onto brick&batten’s team of writers. Her writing endeavors actually started in an academic/scientific setting, then in a regulatory aspect. Writing about paint colors, emerging or current trends in exterior design, and so much more revolving around something she’s always enjoyed was a fun and welcomed change!