Sherwin Williams African Gray SW 9162
Contentsshow +hide -
- African Gray for living room (2 photos)
- Sherwin Williams SW 9162 on kitchen cabinets (2 photos)
- Sherwin Williams African Gray reviews (3 photos)
- What are Sherwin Williams African Gray undertones?
- Is African Gray SW 9162 cool or warm?
- How light temperature affects on African Gray
- Monochromatic color scheme
- Complementary color scheme
- Color comparison and matching
- LRV of African Gray SW 9162
- Color codes
- Color equivalents
| Official page: | African Gray SW 9162 |
| Code: | SW 9162 |
| Name: | African Gray |
| Brand: | Sherwin Williams |
What color is Sherwin Williams African Gray?
Sherwin Williams African Gray SW 9162 is a medium-light gray with a faint cool blue-green cast visible in its color value. It has enough depth to read clearly on walls without making a room feel overly dark or heavy. In bright daylight, African Gray can appear clean and softly silvery, while lower or warmer artificial light may bring out its more neutral side. It suits bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas where a restrained gray is wanted without a sharp, icy look. Pair it with crisp white trim, pale oak, brushed nickel, charcoal textiles, or muted blue-green accents for a measured, cohesive palette.
African Gray for living room (2 photos)
Check out this stunning mid-tone color used in real living rooms. Explore how this grey shade can create a unique space


Sherwin Williams SW 9162 on kitchen cabinets (2 photos)
Want a stylish kitchen? View real-life photo examples of this fascinating cool grey hue is paired with backsplashes, countertops, and hardware.


Sherwin Williams African Gray reviews (3 photos)
View the photos of real spaces painted with this grey that were not included in specific categories. Close-ups, painted furniture, storages and dressers, hallways, stairs and ceilings.



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What are Sherwin Williams African Gray undertones?
African Gray is a midtone, near-neutral medium gray. Its chroma is so low that assigning a specific hue-based undertone would be misleading. Because it is close to neutral, nearby surfaces and the color of the light can noticeably change how warm or cool it appears.
HEX value:
RGB code:
147, 152, 153
Is Sherwin Williams African Gray cool or warm?
With a hue of 190°, this Grey leans cool, but it is near the neutral line and may feel warmer in certain lighting.
SW 9162 African Gray HSL code: 190, 3%, 59%
Hue - degree on a color wheel from 0 to 360. 0 is red, 120 is green, and 240 is blue.
Saturation is expressed as a percentage. At 0%, it appears as a shade of grey, and at 100%, it is in full color.
Lightness is also a percentage value. 0% is black, and 100% is white.
How light temperature affects African Gray
Natural Lighting. During the day, natural light shifts from about 2000 K at sunrise/sunset to 5500–6500 K at noon.
In addition, natural-light temperature depends on its direction:
| Direction of sunlight | Visible temp. | Hue | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Cool | Bluish | All day |
| East | Warm | Yellow | Before noon |
| West | Warm | Orange-red | After noon |
| South | Warm | Orange-yellow | All day |
Artificial Lighting. When choosing bulbs, pay attention to their color temperature in Kelvins.
Use the slider to see how this Grey shade looks under different lighting:


4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Sherwin Williams African Gray:
Monochromatic color scheme
This scheme consists of various shades, tints, and tones of a single color. While it offers a perfect combination of hues, without accent décor it may become monotonous.
Lighter shades
SW 9162
African Gray
Darker shades
SW 9162
African Gray
Complementary color scheme
This color scheme is a combination of two shades that are opposite each other on the color wheel. The high contrast between these colors creates a vibrant and dynamic visual effect. For the color African Gray with a green hue, complementary colors are those with a red hue close to 10, such as Sherwin Williams Mauve Tinge and Studio Mauve.
LRV of African Gray
African Gray has an LRV of 30.98% and refers to Medium colors that reflect a lot of light. Why LRV is important?
Light Reflectance Value measures the amount of visible and usable light that reflects from a painted surface.
Simply put, the higher the LRV of a paint color, the brighter the room you will get.
The scale goes from 0% (absolute black, absorbing all light) to 100% (pure white, reflecting all light).
Act like a pro: When choosing paint with an LRV of 30.98%, pay attention to your bulbs' brightness. Light brightness is measured in lumens. The lower the paint's LRV, the higher lumen level you need. Every square foot of room needs at least 40 lumens. That means for a 200 ft2 living room you'll need about 8000 lumens of light – e.g., eight 1000 lm bulbs.
Color codes
We have collected almost every possible color code you could ever need.
Not sure what the difference between HEX and RGB is? We break down color models in plain language. Understanding color models
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HEX | #939899 |
| RGB Decimal | 147, 152, 153 |
| RGB Percent | 57.65%, 59.61%, 60.00% |
| HSV | Hue: 190° Saturation: 3.92% Value: 60.0% |
| HSL | hsl(190, 3, 59) |
| CMYK | Cyan: 3.92 Magenta: 0.65 Yellow: 0.0 Key: 40.0 |
| YIQ | Y: 150.619 I: -3.301 Q: -0.746 |
| XYZ | X: 29.009 Y: 30.959 Z: 34.576 |
| CIE Lab | L:62.473 a:-1.604 b:-1.149 |
| CIE Luv | L:62.473 u:-2.855 v:-1.39 |
| Decimal | 9672857 |
| Hunter Lab | 55.641, -4.309, 2.105 |
Color equivalents
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RAL 7040
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Telegrey 1
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RAL 7042
Traffic grey A
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Signal grey
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PPU24-19
Shark Fin
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SW 9161
Dustblu
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1600
Timber Wolf
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