Sherwin Williams Intellectual Gray SW 7045
| Official page: | Intellectual Gray SW 7045 |
| Code: | SW 7045 |
| Name: | Intellectual Gray |
| Brand: | Sherwin Williams |
| Collections: | Naturalist |
What color is Sherwin Williams Intellectual Gray?
Sherwin Williams SW 7045 Intellectual Gray is a sophisticated and timeless color choice for any interior space. This beautiful blend of gray with subtle undertones of blue complements a variety of design styles, from modern to traditional. Pairing Intellectual Gray with crisp whites and soft neutrals creates a clean and elegant look, while adding accents in SW 7020 Black Fox or SW 7036 Accessible Beige can bring warmth and depth to the room. For a contemporary vibe, consider combining it with pops of SW 6244 Naval or SW 6187 Rosemary for a striking contrast. Whether used on walls, furniture, or accents, Intellectual Gray adds a touch of refinement and versatility to any space.
Sherwin Williams SW 7045 on kitchen cabinets
Want a stylish kitchen? View real-life photo examples of this fascinating warm beige hue is paired with backsplashes, countertops, and hardware.

Intellectual Gray for exterior
Looking for a fresh new look for your house exterior or starting from skretch? We’ve collected pictures of real-life homes that have been painted with this warm beige hue. Find inspiration for your house’s exterior, front doors, gates, shutters, frames or windows.

Sherwin Williams Intellectual Gray reviews (5 photos)
View the photos of real spaces painted with this beige 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 Intellectual Gray undertones?
Intellectual Gray has a clear red undertone based on its position in the color space. We identify undertones by isolating the pure hue (separating it from lightness and saturation), which avoids distortions caused by tints, tones, and shades.
This method is generally more reliable than judging undertones on a white background.
HEX value:
#A8A093
RGB code:
168, 160, 147
Is Sherwin Williams Intellectual Gray SW 7045 cool or warm?
With a hue of 37°, this Beige leans warm, but it's close to neutral and can read cooler in some light.
SW 7045 Intellectual Gray HSL code: 37, 11%, 62%
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 Intellectual 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 (Kelvins).
Use the slider to see how this Beige shade looks under different lighting:


4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Sherwin Williams Intellectual 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 7045
Intellectual Gray
Darker shades
SW 7045
Intellectual 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 Intellectual Gray with a orange hue, complementary colors are those with a blue hue close to 217, such as Sherwin Williams Rain Cloud and Sea Mariner.
LRV of Intellectual Gray
Intellectual Gray has an LRV of 35.74% 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 35.74%, 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. To copy the code, just click the icon to the right of it.
| Format | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | #a8a093 | |
| RGB Decimal | 168, 160, 147 | |
| RGB Percent | 65.88%, 62.75%, 57.65% | |
| HSV | Hue: 37° Saturation: 12.5% Value: 65.88% | |
| HSL | hsl(37, 11, 62) | |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 4.76 Yellow: 12.5 Key: 34.12 | |
| YIQ | Y: 160.91 I: 8.945 Q: -2.353 | |
| XYZ | X: 33.985 Y: 35.573 Z: 32.672 | |
| CIE Lab | L:66.193 a:0.604 b:7.815 | |
| CIE Luv | L:66.193 u:5.503 v:10.905 | |
| Decimal | 11051155 | |
| Hunter Lab | 59.644, -2.667, 9.272 |
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