Sherwin Williams Studio Clay is just one color in a rising trend of earthy taupe paint colors. This greige has heaps of green in its undertone, which nicely ties together the beige, green, and brown movements that we have been seeing in Home Decor.
Today we will talk a little bit more about what to expect from Studio Clay, go over my favorite coordinating colors for this shade, plus see what Sherwin Williams recommends.
What Are the Undertones of Sherwin Williams Studio Clay?
Studio Clay is technically classified as a taupe paint color, but it isn’t a classic taupe in terms of having that purpley mushroom undertone.
Studio Clay ranges in appearance from a warm, earthy beige color, to a muted gray green. It can also look like a true gray, but it typically does have a green undertone. The exception to this, would be anytime it is paired with a true green. Then Studio Clay will look mushroom in comparison.
This is a pretty good representation of the different undertones of Studio Clay:
You can see that the color on the top of the door is more beige, and at the bottom it is more gray and green.
You should be careful not to confuse Studio Clay, with Studio Beige, or Studio Taupe (also Sherwin Williams colors).
Behr also has a shade called Studio Taupe, just for good measure. So double and triple check if you are looking at inspo photos, that you have the right color!
Studio Clay in the Sherwin Williams Color Strip
Here are each of the colors from this color strip:
Apparently Studio Clay used to be “Waterbury Clay.” I was only able to find the HGTV by Sherwin Williams page for it, but that does seem to be correct.
The other shades from this collection are:
- Useful Gray
- Analytical Gray
- Gray Area
- Studio Clay
- Adaptive Shade
- Oak Leaf Brown
- Enduring Bronze
Sherwin Williams Studio Clay in a Color Palette
Here is the coordinating color palette that I came up with for Studio Clay:
Coordinating White Paint Color for Studio Clay
Ethereal White is a very pretty off-white with greigey-green undertones. It runs the same range of undertones as Studio Clay, but in a much lighter version.
These colors work very well together, and don’t really change or influence each other.
If you like this color but you are planning to shop at Home Depot, Ethereal White is my dupe for Behr Irish Mist.
Neutral Paint Color to Use with Studio Clay
I had decided to pair Studio Clay with Benjamin Moore Pashmina, but then I realized that not only is Sherwin Williams Analytical Gray a dupe for Pashmina, it’s also on the same color strip as Studio Clay! So this combo just made sense:
Analytical Gray is a more classic taupe color. Sherwin Williams describes it as a “warm stone neutral.” Against the stronger green undertone of Studio Clay, you should expect it to maintain a creamy mushroom look most of the time.
Try Studio Clay with Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Also in the neutral category, I recommend using Studio Clay with the luxurious chocolate charcoal of Urbane Bronze:
This deep gray brown is very current and stylish, and it pairs great with the earthy undertones of Studio Clay. These warmer, “muddier” color schemes are very on trend, and you will be early!
Try Studio Clay with Sherwin Williams Uncertain Gray
I wanted to offer at least a whiff of color to this palette, so I decided on the dusty blue of Sherwin Williams Uncertain Gray.
This chalky slate color will emphasize the warmer undertones of Studio Clay, so you shouldn’t expect it to look as gray in this pairing. This coupling is a bit of a gamble, but I really like how it looks on paper!
Emphasize the Taupe Tones with Sherwin Williams Rosemary
I was really curious if we could get Studio Clay to a warm mushroomy look, so I decided to slap it against the much stronger green of Rosemary. What do you know! It worked:
It worked so well, that I love the combination and I had to add it in here as a bonus color!
Sherwin Williams Recommends These Coordinating Colors
Sherwin Williams gives us a neutral – if a little unimaginative – color palette for Studio Clay (I know, I know, who am I to talk?) :
Pair Studio Clay and Sherwin Williams Nuance
Our pals at Sherwin Williams chose a nearly identical white for Studio Clay to the one that I chose!
Like Ethereal White, Nuance is a greigey green off-white. It’s just a hair darker and warmer.
Once again, these colors work very well together, and don’t really change or influence each other.
Pair Studio Clay and Sherwin Williams Natural Linen
This is an interesting neutral combination:
You should expect that against the creamy warmth of Natural Linen, that Studio Clay will look it’s coolest and most gray. The green undertone should also be on full display here.
Natural Linen will look quite warm and beige in contrast.
Use Studio Clay with Rockweed
Rockweed is pretty close to a complementary color for Studio Clay, as this deep brown has a bit of a purple undertone.
Purple and green are across the color wheel from each other, so you should expect that Studio Clay’s green undertone will be fairly strong when paired with Rockweed.
Here is another look at each of these coordinating colors:
What is the Difference Between Studio Clay and Ethereal Mood?
I recently covered a few colors that are similar to Studio Clay, so I wanted to see how these compare. First is Sherwin Williams Ethereal Mood:
Ethereal Mood is lighter and less gray than Studio Clay. It is more likely to look beige.
What is the Difference Between Studio Clay and Anonymous?
Sherwin Williams Anonymous is located in the exact same spot on the color wheel as Studio Clay:
Anonymous is a little bit darker and a little bit more gray than Studio Clay, but these two are pretty similar, and have similar undertones. Despite only being a little bit darker, I do find that Anonymous reads quite a bit darker than Studio Clay tends to.
Thank you so much for reading until the end! That really helps my blog. I hope this post gave you some great ideas about how to use Studio Clay in your next project. Still looking? Look no further! :
