Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray: a complete color review

Looking for the perfect gray paint color for your home? Let’s talk about Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray and if it might be right for your home!

Choosing a neutral paint color can be daunting, but warm grays offer a perfect starting point. Also known as greiges, these colors blend warmth with coolness seamlessly.

With warm grays, you get a cozy, neutral backdrop, steering clear of the starkness some cooler shades bring. They also can complement any decor style and finish, simplifying your decision-making process.

Just remember, each warm gray carries its unique undertones and depths, so take your time exploring the nuances before settling on one

Mindful Gray, Sherwin Williams, SW 7016

Mindful Gray is a warm, neutral gray that works well in a variety of spaces.

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Mindful Gray

Color Family

Mindful Gray is in the neutral family.

Light Reflectance Value

48

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 48, Mindful Gray is a mid-toned greige. It will look lighter in rooms with lots of light and darker in rooms with less light.

RGB Colors

R: 188 G: 183 B: 173

RGB describes the amount of each color - red, green, and blue - present in a color. This is on a scale of 0 to 255 for each color. This is basically the color mix to make the color!

Hex Code

#BCB7AD

Undertones

Mindful Gray has mild warm green and violet undertones.

In south-facing rooms with lots of natural light, Mindful Gray may look warmer.

In north-facing rooms lacking natural light, Mindful Gray may look cooler, and some of those green undertones may be apparent.

Best uses

Mindful Gray is a great neutral, but it may be too dark to work as a whole house paint color. 

It works well in south-facing rooms with lots of natural light. You may want to choose a lighter shade of gray for north-facing rooms.

I like to use it for the following rooms, as long as there is ample natural light:

• Living rooms
• Bedrooms
• Kitchens
• Home exterior
• Furniture

Similar Colors

• Benjamin Moore Thunder
• Behr Glasgow Fog
• Sherwin Williams Viaduct
• Benjamin Moore Shale
• Sherwin Williams Pachyderm
• Sherwin Williams Requisite Gray
• Sherwin Williams Roycroft Mist Gray

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Mindful Gray

Coordinating Colors

As a neutral paint color, Mindful Gray pairs well with several colors, including dark grays, cool whites, blues, navy, greens, and pinks. In general, Mindful Gray pairs well with cool neutrals over warm neutrals.

Dark greens:

• Thunderous
• Succulent
• Cast Iron
• Rosemary
• Shade-Grown

Mid-toned blues:

• Rain
• Tradewind
• Interesting Aqua
• Sleepy Blue
• Sleepy Hollow

Cool whites:

• Pearly White
• Extra White
• Eider White
• Incredible White

Trim Colors

Mindful Gray pairs well with bright whites for trim.

Bright white trim colors:

• Benjamin Moore Simply White
• Sherwin Williams Extra White
• Behr Ultra Pure White

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Mindful Gray

FAQS

Here are some common frequently asked questions about Mindful Gray.

Is Mindful Gray warm or cool?

SW Mindful Gray is a warm gray paint color.

What BM color is similar to SW Mindful Gray?

There are no exact matches between brands, but BM Thunder is similar to SW Mindful Gray. Their LRVs are both 48, which means they reflect and absorb the same amount of light back into a room.

What are the undertones of SW Mindful Gray?

SW Mindful Gray has mild warm green and violet undertones.

What is the difference: SW Mindful Gray vs Repose Gray?

SW Mindful Gray is darker than Repose Gray, with an LRV of 48 vs 58.

While both grays are warm grays, Mindful Gray has mild green and violet undertones, and Repose Gray has mild blue and green undertones.

It's always best to swatch colors in your space before committing.

Is Mindful Gray lighter than Agreeable Gray?

Mindful Gray is darker than Agreeable Gray, with an LRV of 48 vs 60.

Does Mindful Gray look green?

Mindful Gray has mild green undertones, which are more apparent in rooms without much natural light, such as north-facing rooms, interior bathrooms, or basements.

It's always best to swatch colors in your space before committing.

Is Mindful Gray a greige?

Yes, as a warm gray paint color, Mindful Gray is often referred to as a greige.

Is Mindful Gray a good color for exteriors?

Yes, Mindful Gray looks great as an exterior paint color.

As a mid-toned paint color, Mindful Gray appears as a light gray outside, since colors often look lighter in all of that natural light. This makes it an ideal choice for exteriors.

It's always best to swatch colors in your space before committing.

Before you go...

So, you've found the perfect paint color, but here's the thing - there's another big decision you have to make: picking the right paint sheen. Seriously, the level of glossiness can totally change how your color looks on the walls and how long the paint lasts!

Check out our complete guide to understanding paint sheens.

Thanks for reading!