Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray
Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray is a darker gray paint color, but still is neutral enough to work in most spaces. Find out more about this color and see it in real homes inside!
PAINT COLORS
Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray by Sherwin Williams may not be as popular as something like Repose Gray or Agreeable Gray, but it can definitely hold its own in the right spaces. Let’s talk about it!
What Color is Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray (SW 7017)?
Dorian Gray (SW 7017) is a darker gray paint color and that is going to be a touch more on the warm side than cool (more on that later).
It is a color that can look different depending on where your light source comes from, meaning north or south facing windows can make this color look darker or lighter.
One of the most popular gray paint colors is most definitely Sherwin Williams Repose Gray. Mindful Gray isn’t as popular, but definitely in the top best selling gray paint colors from Sherwin Williams.
You definitely will want to see this on your walls in your specific space and if you don’t want to paint a sample on your wall, this would be the perfect time to try Samplize.
They offer giant peel and stick samples of paint swatches from Sherwin Williams, PPG, Ben Moore and Farrow and Ball that you can add to your wall so you can spend a little bit of money once instead of a lot of money on multiple samples.
What Undertones Does Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray Have?
A trick I use if you’re having trouble coming up with the undertone of the color is to look at the darkest shade on the paint strip.
In this case, it’s Sherwin Williams Black Fox which looks dark in the photo, but to the naked eye, it definitely has a super deep brown, even dark purple undertone.
This means in certain lights Dorian Gray can have a light purple undertone, especially in cooler lighting situations. Some have even said they see a touch of green in very cool light situations, but again, this is why you always want to look at the color yourself in your own home first!
Dorian Gray LRV
Dorian Gray has an LRV of 39.
The LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, of a paint color is on a sliding scale of 1 to 100.
The closer a color is to 0, the closer it is to black which means it won’t reflect light well or at all.
The close a color is to 100, the closer it is to white which means it will reflect light very well.
I made this (super non professional) graphic to hopefully help you understand if you’re more of a visual learner.
Dorian Gray Coordinating Colors
Sherwin Williams always provides its picks for coordinating colors with their paint colors.
While those are typically great colors, I always like to take a look at the paint deck fan and choose some other options I would (or have) paired it with.
Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
In our first flip house, we used Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black for the fireplace and the barn doors inside and loved it. This deep black would pair great with Dorian Gray.
We will also be using this color in our new mountain house Airbnb.
And if you happen to have missed the introduction and tour of the space, come see the before tour of our newest investment property – a mountain house!
Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Prior to ripping out this old kitchen and doing a full gut job kitchen renovation, we had Alabaster on 90% of our walls and loved it.
We decided to change it up for a different white (that I’ll share soon!) but regardless, Alabaster and its warmth could pair perfectly with the warmth of Dorian Gray.
Sherwin Williams Jasper Stone
Admittedly, I took this right from the suggestions of coordinating colors on the Sherwin Williams site, but I love the color and think they would be a perfect match!
Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray in Real Spaces
*Sources for each image are linked under the photo. For more information on the space, visit the provided link.
Bedroom
Office
Kitchen
Dining Nook
Living Room
Entryway
Bathroom
Exterior Door
Home Exterior
Trim Color Choices for Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray will need a crisp white for a trim color as opposed to a creamy white so that it won’t seem too dull or dingy.
Sherwin Williams Extra White
In our own home, all of our trim is Sherwin Williams Extra White. Extra White is also the color we painted our upper kitchen cabinets in our phase one kitchen renovation.
This white is a very bright white, but doesn’t feel too cool or sterile.
Sherwin Williams Pure White
Pure White by Sherwin Williams is a softer white, but still a great white with very little undertones. We used it for walls, ceilings and trim in our first flip house (and our second one that’s not done yet!) and were so impressed we may have added in in our own home when we started our kitchen renovation!
Dorian Gray Equivalents In Other Popular Brands
Benjamin Moore Equivalent to Dorian Gray
Color matching paint colors, especially when you cross brands are never going to be exact. Each brand has its own special nuanced formulas for creating colors.
Strictly looking at the Sherwin Williams paint deck fan, the closest match seems to be between Benjamin Moore Cape May Cobblestone and Gray Huskie, but they both feel a bit cooler.
Behr Equivalent to Dorian Gray
The closest Behr equivalent to Dorian Gray is Pumice, but again, feels a bit cooler than the warmth I see in Dorian Gray.
I will say I think the Behr match is closer than either of the Benjamin Moore options.
Final Thoughts
Dorian Gray is a “bolder” gray paint color and it would be a great addition to any space in your home. It isn’t as subtle as some of the other grays, but can also blend in for a perfect background color or stand out as a cabinet color in kitchens or bathrooms.
Give it a try in your own space!
