What are Valspar Gray Matter undertones?
Gray Matter 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:
#A09995
RGB code:
160, 153, 149
Is Valspar Gray Matter T521 cool or warm?
warm
cool
With a hue of 22°, this Grey leans warm, but it's close to neutral and can read cooler in some light.
T521 Gray Matter HSL code: 22, 5%, 61%
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 Gray Matter
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 Grey shade looks under different lighting:
4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Valspar Gray Matter:
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
T521
Gray Matter
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 Gray Matter with a red hue, complementary colors are those with a green hue close to 202, such as Valspar Jolene and Moroccan Moderne.
LRV of Gray Matter
Gray Matter has an LRV of 32.29% 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 32.29%, 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 | #a09995 |  |
| RGB Decimal | 160, 153, 149 | |
| RGB Percent | 62.75%, 60.00%, 58.43% | |
| HSV | Hue: 22° Saturation: 6.87% Value: 62.75% | |
| HSL | hsl(22, 5, 61) | |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 4.38 Yellow: 6.87 Key: 37.25 | |
| YIQ | Y: 154.637 I: 5.457 Q: 0.236 | |
| XYZ | X: 31.312 Y: 32.426 Z: 33.035 | |
| CIE Lab | L:63.694 a:1.818 b:3.012 | |
| CIE Luv | L:63.694 u:4.321 v:3.975 | |
| Decimal | 10525077 | |
| Hunter Lab | 56.944, -1.499, 5.465 | |
Valspar T521 Gray Matter
Copy color code
Color equivalents
SW 9167
Polished Concrete
Sherwin Williams
20218
Healing Lavender
Jotun
CSP-10
Soho Loft
Benjamin Moore
60YR 33/047
Potters Wheel
Dulux
SW 7673
Pewter Cast
Sherwin Williams
M102
Stone Age
Valspar
15YY 33/043
Woven Nest
Dulux
1468
Willow Creek
Benjamin Moore
PPU18-15
Fashion Gray
Behr
N140-4
Tavern Taupe
Behr
PPU17-12
Smoked Mauve
Behr
SW 9170
Acier
Sherwin Williams
RAL 860-M
RAL Effect
Birch Root
Dulux
RAL 7036
Platinum grey
RAL Classic
8006-12D
Feather Quill
Valspar
S 3502-R
NCS
284
Worsted
Farrow and Ball
