Our Review of Homburg Gray by Sherwin Williams

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A gray paint color, but make it elegant and unique. Sherwin Williams’ Homburg Gray is exactly that. This gorgeous shade of gray was named Sherwin Williams’ color of the month in February of 2023, and you’re about to learn why. Below, we’re sharing all the details on Homburg Gray, from our recommended applications to color pairings to complete your home exterior color palette. Keep reading to learn more about Homburg Gray by Sherwin Williams.

Not sure where to begin with all of the exterior paint color options that are out there? Let us help! The design experts at brick&batten will narrow down your choices and show you how they look on your home. From exterior paint colors to sunroom ideas, we’re here to guide every facet of your exterior update decision-making process. Learn more about what we do.

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Split level home with a wood garage door, black trim, and front yard fire pit area

Sherwin Williams’ Homburg Gray: The specs

Homburg Gray is quite dark, sitting at 15 on the LRV scale. (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.)

Homburg Gray has cyan undertones that give it a stunning green-blue look. These undertones could be more noticeable in darker environments, but we find them appealing no matter the exterior environment.

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.
Rustic farmhouse with cedar columns, a large porch, and outdoor kitchen

Recommended applications for Homburg Gray

This is one of those paint colors that looks good on just about everything. It’s a great choice for a field color or as a supporting hue. As an accent color, our designers use Homburg Gray on doors, shutters, and trim because of its versatility. To achieve different design styles, modern black finishes look great with it, as does wood.

Traditional farmhouse with stone and paver walkway

Homburg Gray color pairings

Homburg Gray’s versatility doesn’t quite translate to its color pairing options. However, the beauty of this shade is that, depending on your chosen complementary colors, the palette can read modern, rustic, or classic.

The farmhouse-style exterior above has Homburg Gray on the shutters and Drift of Mist by Sherwin Williams on the lap siding. Drift of Mist is a great neutral hue that’s creamy, bringing out the muted tones of Homburg Gray. Gargoyle by Benjamin Moore was applied to the front door and Pure White by Sherwin Williams on the trim and eaves. Including limestone with light color variations to the entry wall, columns, and chimney connects the creaminess of Drift of Mist to the brighter trim.

Color blocked mid-century home with glass paneled garage door

Above, our designers used Homburg Gray on the chimney brick and far left section of the home. We used Regent Green by Benjamin Moore on the remaining brick, creating a tone-on-tone effect. Remember the aforementioned cyan undertones? Regent Green is a beautiful green-blue with similar undertones, making them a perfect match for this home’s exterior.

Thermory wood cladding and wood-look aluminum on the porch ceiling introduces texture and warmth. Additionally, the black trim keeps the exterior modern and fresh. Other modern touches are in the hardscaping: a cement retaining wall and stone-and-paver walkway. Also note the continued design element of rectangles throughout (garage door panels, sidewalk, color blocking).

coastal beach home with Bahama shutters and minimal landscaping

Another great example of Homburg Gray as an accent color is shown in the rendering above. Greek Villa by Sherwin Williams is the field color in this design; it was even applied to the gutters to blend them in. Our designers applied Homburg Gray on the front door, subtly drawing the eye to the entrance. We recommended simple wood Bahama shutters and garage door panels to stay consistent with the coastal aesthetic. No black here. All the light fixtures are copper and tie in nicely with the wood and beach theme.

commercial business with large black trimmed windows and a car port

Pros and cons of Homburg Gray by Sherwin Williams

PROS:

  • Works amazingly well as a central or accent color
  • Unique and can help a home stand out (curb appeal)
  • Suits many home styles

CONS:

  • Color pairings are limited
  • May be too dark for some

Alternatives to Homburg Gray

Check out these alternative options to Homburg Gray that are worth your consideration.

A charming one-story home with Peppercorn cladding and Origami White accents

Sherwin William’s Peppercorn

Peppercorn is a true neutral gray. It depends on lighting, but the undertones of Peppercorn are pretty minimal. If a dark gray without any color shift from morning to evening is what you’re searching for, this is it. We even named it on our list of the best Sherwin Williams exterior paint colors of 2023.

contemporary home with a shed roof, stone skirting, stone fireplace, and black trim

Sherwin William’s Urban Bronze

Sherwin William’s 2021 color of the year is a brown-gray with slight green undertones. If you’re looking to avoid blue, but stay dark, Urban Bronze may be a good route. Light will play a large role in how it appears. It can look more gray in north-facing light, and much warmer in south- or west-facing light. Its LRV is 8, but it’s not black. When paired with stone, as in the rendering above, it can appear a bit brighter and not as dark. This is a very bold color for an exterior, but there’s also a reason it’s so popular!

one story home with chunky white window trim and a black front door

The bottom line on Homburg Gray

Overall, Homburg Gray is a lovely choice for upgrading your curb appeal. It’s a unique shade of gray with green-blue undertones that can be played up in different ways according to your style preference. If you’re not ready to commit to painting the whole house with it, try it on shutters or a front door. Color pairings are limited, but since it’s such a commanding color on its own, this limitation goes unnoticed. In general, our design experts agree: Homburg Gray is a solid choice for your home exterior paint color.

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!