Skip to content

Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray is a Cool but Cozy Neutral

    Comfort Gray is a nice compromise between a neutral gray wall color and a light sagey blue-green. Here we will look at Comfort Gray in real homes, see coordinating colors, and look at a couple of alternatives.

    Paint swatch over a background photo of Comfort Gray in a living room
    Photo credit: @the.tulip.cottage

    What Color is Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray (SW 6205)

    Comfort Gray is a light gray color that can range in appearance from plain gray, to pale blue-gray, or light seafoam.

    Despite the varying undertones, Comfort Gray can typically be used like a neutral as it works well with most other colors. It’s a nice alternative to a plain jane gray or beige.

    LRV of Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray

    The LRVย of Comfort Gray is 54.

    What does that even mean?ย 

    The LRV of a color indicates on a scale of 0 – 100 how much light a color reflects (or doesn’t reflect). True black has an LRV of 0 and pure white has an LRV of 100.

    In the paint world, we are working in a range of about 3 – 93 because no paint color is purely black or completely white.

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray marked at 54 on a scale of 0 (true black) to 100 (pure white) over a background of a cozy knit blanket on a sofa.

    At 54, Comfort Gray is in that perfect LRV range from approximately 45 to 60 where we find most whole-home colors.

    This means that Comfort Gray would make a great backdrop on any wall in your home.ย 

    What Are the Undertones of Comfort Gray

    Comfort Gray is equally likely to have blue or green undertones. It very often has a mix of both.

    I would describe Comfort Gray as a kind of “aquatic gray.” It looks like a very muted aqua or seafoam most of the time.

    Here is a very typical look for this color:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray where it looks like a light gray with subtle undertone.
    Photo credit: @noinstructionmanual

    Comfort Gray can occasionally look like a true gray with very little undertone, but this is unpredictable.

    Here is a look at Comfort Gray where it appears more gray:

    Comfort Gray where it looks silvery gray
    Photo credit: @the_willow_teahouse

    Here is a more blue look to this color:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray with a more blue undertone in a bedroom with creamy white ceiling and drapes and a dark wood four poster bed.
    Photo credit: @handleyhomeinteriors

    Finally, here is how Comfort Gray looks at its brightest and most colorful:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray looks like a light minty seafoam color on a door and mud room cubbies.
    Photo credit: @fourlovehome

    The Comfort Gray Color Strip from Sherwin Williams

    Out of all of the colors on the same color strip, Comfort Gray is the only one that ever looks blue. If you want to avoid a blue undertone, you might want to consider a shade lighter or darker.

    Sea salt, comfort gray, oyster bay, retreat, pewter green color strip over a background of cozy blankets in a comfy bedroom

    The other colors on this same color strip are:

    Lighter Version of Comfort Gray

    One shade lighter than Comfort Gray on the same color strip, is the color Sea Salt.

    Sea Salt is a very popular paint color, so you may have seen it around!

    While it is the shade lighter, Sea Salt can occasionally have a warm green-beige undertone, where Comfort Gray does not. It often does have the same gray blue-green look, but Sea Salt never looks just blue-gray. It always has some green in its undertone.

    Sea salt in airy bedroom with beams and a 4 poster bed
    Sea Salt – Photo credit: @folliefarm
    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray on half of a wall and Sea Salt on the other half behind a white sofa with a wood frame.

    Darker Version of Comfort Gray

    One shade darker than Comfort Gray on the same color strip, is the color Oyster Bay.

    Again Oyster Bay does have a similar undertone to Comfort Gray, but there is always some green in it:

    Oyster Bay on an island and a wooden floor tiles
    Oyster Bay – Photo Credit: @morgan.baswell

    Is Comfort Gray Warm or Cool

    Comfort Gray is a cool paint color. The other colors on the same strip can sometimes have a warmer green undertone, but I don’t find that Comfort Gray ever does.

    Despite the fact that it is cool, you can usually use this color as a neutral. I would not pair it with other light grays.

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray in a Color Palette

    Let’s take a look at some coordinating color ideas for Comfort Gray. These are just suggestions, because this color is very versatile!

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray in a color palette over a light wood floor background. The colors arranged on paint lids are Comfort Gray, Chantilly Lace, Ethereal White, Rock Bottom, and Elephant Ear.

    Coordinating Colors to Use with Comfort Gray

    Neutral Paint Color to Use with Comfort Gray

    Warm neutrals can be paired with Comfort Gray, but I recommend going either darker or lighter to avoid any clashing.

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray swatched on a paint lid, next to the same of coordinating color Elephant Ear.

    Elephant Ear is a taupey mid-tone that can lean either mushroom or slightly green its undertone. When paired with Comfort Gray you should expect it to read more mushroom.

    White Paint Colors to Use with Comfort Gray

    You might like pairing Comfort Gray with the off-white from the same color strip (Spare White), but I decided to go just a smidge warmer and use Sherwin Williams Ethereal White.

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray swatched on a paint lid, next to the same of coordinating color Ethereal White.

    Ethereal White is a neutral creamy off-white with the slightest green undertone, which prevents it from ever looking yellow. You should know that Comfort Gray may look cooler and more gray in comparison.

    To allow Comfort Gray not to be influenced, you might like the bright true white of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray swatched on a paint lid, next to the same of coordinating color Chantilly Lace.

    This white is a clean white, but it does have a hint of warmth. You should know that a very warm white, like Sherwin Williams Dover White, is more likely to emphasize the blue in Comfort Gray.

    Pair Comfort Gray and SW Rock Bottom

    Rock Bottom is one of my favorite deep paint colors!

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray swatched on a paint lid, next to the same of coordinating color Rock Bottom.

    This dark gray-green chameleon that ranges in appearance from a charcoal slate color with a slight green undertone to something resembling a deep foresty-olive.

    Complementary Color for Comfort Gray

    The “official” complementary color (the shade directly across the wheel) for Comfort Gray is a powdery purple. I went ultra dark with the purple-leaning charcoal of Sherwin Williams Perle Noir:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray swatched on a paint lid, next to the same of complementary color Perle Noir.

    …but you could also go with something lighter and warmer, like Benjamin Moore Cinnamon Slate.

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray for Your Home Interior

    I already shared a few photos when we were talking undertones, but let’s see more of Comfort Gray in real life!

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray in the Bedroom

    Lenna and Eric (@the_willow_teahouse) used Comfort Gray in this bedroom that I showed you earlier:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray on bedroom walls with a gray wood bedframe and dark canvas prints.
    Photo Credit: @the_willow_teahouse

    You can see how the undertone changes from the corner of the walls to beside the lamp.

    Here is another look at the bedroom at Michelle’s house (@noinstructionmanual):

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray swatched over a photo of the same in a bright bedroom with white trim around the windows, a white ceiling, and a gray plush headboard.
    Photo credit: @noinstructionmanual

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray in the Dining Room

    I wasn’t able to pull up Comfort Gray in anyone’s living room, so this dining room by Amy of @redchairhomeinteriors will have to do!

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray on dining room walls behind a long white table with bright blue decor.
    Photo credit: @redchairhomeinteriors

    In this first photo, Comfort Gray looks pretty much how I would expect. In the next one, it looks a little more gray:

    Comfort Gray on dining room walls where it looks quite gray behind a table with a vase of orange tulips.
    Photo credit: @redchairhomeinteriors

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray in a Bathroom

    In this bathroom by Danielle (@the_dani_design) we see Comfort Gray looking both its darkest, and most green:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray on the walls in a bathroom with white wainscoting on the lower half of the walls and a white vanity.
    Photo credit: @the_dani_design

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray on Kitchen Cabinets

    I wasn’t able to find Comfort Gray on kitchen cabinets, so the next best thing is the darker color Oyster Bay:

    Oyster Bay on an island and a wooden floor tiles
    Photo Credit: @morgan.baswell

    I don’t know that I would use Comfort Gray on cabinets anyway, because it is a bit light. The result may end up looking a little minty.

    Comfort Gray on a Front Door

    Again we will have to use our imaginations a little! Here we have Comfort Gray on an interior door in bright natural light:

    Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray on an interior door.
    Photo credit: @carmeniris_interiors

    For an exterior door, I think that Comfort Gray runs a little too light. Any color will look much lighter outside. You can see here that Oyster Bay looks just dark enough on a front door:

    Sherwin Williams Oyster Bay on a front door with Benjamin Moore Simply White creamy white siding.
    Photo Credit: @morgan.baswell

    I would probably even go a bit darker and choose Acacia Haze, but that would be a more sage look.

    To go ahead and dis-prove my point, here is Sea Salt on a front door:

    Sea salt on a front door
    Sherwin Williams Sea Salt – Photo credit: @honeybeehomebythesea

    I think it works here with this warm wood siding, but I dont think lighter shades like Sea Salt or Comfort Gray have enough oomph outside.

    Comfort Gray Pros & Cons

    I hope this helped you decide if Comfort Gray is the perfect color for you! This shade is a perfect simple wall color that you can use in any room. For exteriors or kitchen cabinets, my advice would be to go a little darker.

    Not sure if it’s the one? I’ve got more!

    Benjamin Moore Sage Wisdom color palette features Sage Wisdom, Soot, Solstice, White Dove, and Jogging Path all on paint lids over a background of a green door in a library wall.
    Paint dot swatch of Valspar Sparkling Sage over a photo of bundles of sage on an aged wood background
    Swatch of Fieldstone swatched over a photo of the same color on trim and doors