Sherwin Williams Empire Gold SW 0012
Contentsshow +hide -
- Sherwin Williams Empire Gold reviews (2 photos)
- What are Sherwin Williams Empire Gold undertones?
- Is Empire Gold SW 0012 cool or warm?
- How light temperature affects on Empire Gold
- Monochromatic color scheme
- Complementary color scheme
- Color comparison and matching
- LRV of Empire Gold SW 0012
- Color codes
- Color equivalents
| Code: | SW 0012 |
| Name: | Empire Gold |
| Brand: | Sherwin Williams |
| Collections: | Historic Interior Color Wall, Purely Refined, Victorian (1830s-1910s) |
What color is Sherwin Williams Empire Gold?
Sherwin Williams Empire Gold SW 0012 is a muted golden tan with a warm, earthy cast. Its color value suggests a medium-light depth that reads more like aged wheat or soft ochre than a bright yellow. In direct daylight, Empire Gold can appear clearer and more golden, while lower or warmer indoor light may bring out its subdued brown-beige side. It suits dining rooms, entryways, and studies where a warmer wall color can add visible depth without feeling overly dark. Pair it with creamy off-whites, deep olive greens, warm charcoal, natural oak, aged brass, or cognac leather for a grounded finish.
Sherwin Williams Empire Gold reviews (2 photos)
View the photos of real spaces painted with this yellow 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 Empire Gold undertones?
Empire Gold is a mid-light, soft caramel tan. The HEX sample leans yellow-orange; this describes its measurable digital hue direction, not a hidden paint pigment. Warm bulbs can make it look creamier or more golden, while cool daylight may mute that warmth and pull it closer to beige or greige.
HEX value:
RGB code:
193, 159, 110
Is Sherwin Williams Empire Gold cool or warm?
warm
cool
At 35° on the HSL hue wheel, this Yellow sits firmly on the warm side.
SW 0012 Empire Gold HSL code: 35, 40%, 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 Empire Gold
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 Yellow shade looks under different lighting:
4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Sherwin Williams Empire Gold:
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 0012
Empire Gold
Darker shades
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 Empire Gold with a orange hue, complementary colors are those with a blue hue close to 215, such as Sherwin Williams Tarragon and Rain Cloud.
LRV of Empire Gold
Empire Gold has an LRV of 37.17% 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 37.17%, 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 | #c19f6e |
| RGB Decimal | 193, 159, 110 |
| RGB Percent | 75.69%, 62.35%, 43.14% |
| HSV | Hue: 35° Saturation: 43.01% Value: 75.69% |
| HSL | hsl(35, 40, 59) |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 17.62 Yellow: 43.01 Key: 24.31 |
| YIQ | Y: 163.58 I: 36.006 Q: -8.057 |
| XYZ | X: 37.206 Y: 37.261 Z: 19.98 |
| CIE Lab | L:67.473 a:5.962 b:30.267 |
| CIE Luv | L:67.473 u:25.439 v:37.559 |
| Decimal | 12689262 |
| Hunter Lab | 61.042, 1.974, 23.323 |
Color equivalents
SW 7699
Rustic City
Sherwin Williams
1111
Gingerbread Man
Benjamin Moore
CW-385
Coffeehouse Ochre
Benjamin Moore
2162-40
Peanut Shell
Benjamin Moore
1097
Simple Pleasures
Benjamin Moore
1070
Barley Harvest
Benjamin Moore
S290-5
Amber Autumn
Behr
SW 9024
Vintage Gold
Sherwin Williams
1117
Guesthouse
Benjamin Moore
1103
Camel Back
Benjamin Moore
1112
Sandy Valley
Benjamin Moore
SW 9025
Coriander Powder
Sherwin Williams
PPU6-17
Classic Gold
Behr
HDC-AC-13
Butter Nut
Behr
1062
Baked Cumin
Benjamin Moore
S300-5
Spiced Mustard
Behr
SW 6130
Mannered Gold
Sherwin Williams
MQ2-16
Summer In The City
Behr
