What are Valspar Subtle undertones?
Subtle 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:
#E5E2E3
RGB code:
229, 226, 227
Is Valspar Subtle T542 cool or warm?
warm
cool
With a hue of 340°, this Grey leans warm, but it's close to neutral and can read cooler in some light.
T542 Subtle HSL code: 340, 5%, 89%
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 Subtle
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 Subtle:
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.
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 Subtle with a red hue, complementary colors are those with a green hue close to 160, such as Valspar Jade Sea and Limestone Path.
LRV of Subtle
Subtle has an LRV of 76.71% and refers to Off‑White 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 76.71%, 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 | #e5e2e3 |  |
| RGB Decimal | 229, 226, 227 | |
| RGB Percent | 89.80%, 88.63%, 89.02% | |
| HSV | Hue: 340° Saturation: 1.31% Value: 89.8% | |
| HSL | hsl(340, 5, 89) | |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 1.31 Yellow: 0.87 Key: 10.2 | |
| YIQ | Y: 227.011 I: 1.466 Q: 0.946 | |
| XYZ | X: 73.371 Y: 76.597 Z: 83.572 | |
| CIE Lab | L:90.136 a:1.187 b:-0.125 | |
| CIE Luv | L:90.136 u:1.638 v:-0.402 | |
| Decimal | 15065827 | |
| Hunter Lab | 87.52, -3.516, 4.648 | |
Valspar T542 Subtle
Copy color code
Color equivalents
PR-W01
Mystical Mist
Behr
SW 6546
Cloud Nine
Sherwin Williams
SW 6819
Minuet White
Sherwin Williams
7004-1
Winter Dawn
Valspar
882
Feathered Violet
Benjamin Moore
PR-W02
Early Crocus
Behr
N100-1
Enigma
Behr
70RB 83/017
Mellow Heather 6
Dulux
30RB 83/020
Lavender Blossom 6
Dulux
S 1001-R
NCS
SW 6280
Mauve Tinge
Sherwin Williams
SW 6826
Whimsical White
Sherwin Williams
S 1002-R50B
NCS
S 0603-R60B
NCS
50RB 74/033
Purple Sage 6
Dulux
Lilac Spring 6
Dulux
2117-70
Dreamy Cloud
Benjamin Moore
2116-70
Mirage White
Benjamin Moore