Want to paint your home a light gray paint color? Let’s compare Sherwin Williams Light French Gray vs Repose Gray to see if one might be perfect for your home!
Light gray is a super popular paint color that many people love to use in their homes.
And I totally give it. Grays can be totally neutral, but still give your walls a bit of interest and depth.
The right gray paint color stands on its own, but also pairs with a ton of other color schemes and accent colors.
Two of the most popular colors in this category are Sherwin Williams Light French Gray and Repose Gray.
Read my full review of Light French Gray
Read my full review of Repose Gray
Let’s compare these two popular paint colors head to head to see which might be best for your home!
Light French Gray vs Repose Gray
Light French Gray and Repose Gray are both popular gray paint colors by Sherwin Williams. They seem similar at a glance, but when you get them next to each other their differences quickly become obvious!
What is similar about Light French Gray vs Repose Gray?
These two gray paint colors are both mid-toned gray paint colors. They are both also fairly neutral
What is different about Light French Gray vs Repose Gray?
| Light French Gray | Repose Gray | |
| LRV | 53 | 58 |
| RBG | R: 194 G: 192 B: 187 | R:201 G:201 B:192 |
| Undertones | purple, cool | green, blue |
Light Reflectance Value
Light Reflective Value is the measurement of how much light a color bounces around. This is on a scale of 0 to 100 with 0 being pure black and 100 being pure white.
With an LRV of 58, Repose Gray is slightly brighter and lighter when compared to Light French Gray (LRV 53).
LRVs in the 50s are generally considered mid-toned colors, though in well lit rooms they will look lighter. They can look quite dark and even dingy in poorly lit spaces!
Undertones
The difference in undertones is the other significant difference between these two shades of gray.
Light French Gray has definite purple undertones, giving it almost the look of elephant skin. It’s a very distinct shade that can read as fairly cool.
On the other hand, repose gray is more greige, with brown and green undertones. It is not super warm on it’s own, but is definitely much warmer than Light French Gray.
How do I decide between these two colors?
The biggest difference here is in undertones, so you need to think about your existing fixtures and the undertones that they have, as well as how that tone will play with each of these.
You are really going to need to test these two gray colors to see how the very different undertones look and feel in your space.
It’s very important to swatch colors on your wall to make sure they look good – day and night – in your actual space before committing.
Click here to get removable peel & stick paint samples to easily swatch with!
Sherwin Williams Repose Gray Color Palette
Want to use this paint color in your home? Instantly upgrade your home’s aesthetic with our exclusive paint color palette. Unlock the perfect trim color and six stunning accent colors, a combination of neutrals and bold hues for an instantly harmonious space!
Get your perfect paint color palette by clicking here!
Sherwin Williams Light French Gray color palette
Want to use this paint color in your home? Instantly upgrade your home’s aesthetic with our exclusive paint color palette. Unlock the perfect trim color and six stunning accent colors, a combination of neutrals and bold hues for an instantly harmonious space!
Get your perfect paint color palette by clicking here!
Still not sure what paint color to choose?
My Paint Color Formula ebook walks you through the painless process of expertly testing paint swatches to ensure you have the perfect color for your home.
The best way to sample paint? Samplize!
Get peel-and-stick removable and reusable paint samples here!
Thanks for reading!
Morgan is passionate about home decor and paint colors. She has been sharing DIY home decor tips since 2012 at CharlestonCrafted.com. From there, she learned to love paint colors, and the Paint Color Project was born in 2022!