Alloy
With a focus on versatile tones, Alloy (9569) is a standout Neutral in our database. It was selected for this featured gallery for its ability to add character and warmth to any space. See it applied across 10 real world scenarios and find professional pairing data below.
Hex
#8E8A81
LRV
25.46
Alloy in Real Rooms
Alloy has a medium LRV of 25.46 — it adds real depth and will read noticeably darker as natural light fades. It's neutral in temperature, making it adaptable across different lighting conditions and room orientations. Grouped in the Neutral family, the photos below show it applied in a home office, bathroom, dining room, bedroom, front door, kitchen, mudroom, house, patio and living room.
1 Home Office Photo
To create a "library" feel in your home office, use Alloy on both the walls and the built-in shelving. This monochromatic approach creates a sophisticated, academic atmosphere that makes the room feel like a true destination for thought.
Sherwin-Williams Alloy in a minimalist home office
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1 Bathroom Photo
The interaction between Alloy and steam or humidity creates a beautiful, diffused atmosphere in a bathroom. It's a color that feels "alive," shifting slightly in character as the environment changes during a hot shower or a long soak.
Alloy — wabi-sabi bathroom
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Dining Room Photo
Alloy encourages conversation. Its calm, grounded presence creates a sense of safety and comfort that allows guests to relax and stay at the table longer, which is the ultimate goal of any well-designed dining area.
Alloy paint in a elegant dining room
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1 Bedroom Photo
Pairing Alloy with tonal textures—like a silk rug or a bouclé chair—creates a layered, monochromatic look that is the height of sophistication for a bedroom. It proves that you don't need high-contrast colors to create a room that feels high-design and deeply personal.
A art deco bedroom painted in Alloy
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1 Front Door Photo
A front door in Alloy is a timeless choice that won't feel dated as trends shift. It's a versatile hue that can adapt to different porch decor—from modern planters to traditional rockers—with effortless ease.
stylish front door featuring Alloy by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Kitchen Photo
Kitchens are often the noisiest rooms in the house; Alloy provides the visual equivalent of acoustic dampening. Its steady, calm presence helps lower the "volume" of the room, creating a more pleasant environment for cooking and conversation.
Alloy — earthy kitchen
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Mudroom Photo
Alloy in the mudroom earns its keep. It's a color that can handle the traffic — grounding enough to hide the daily chaos, and intentional enough to make the transition from outside feel considered and high-end.
Alloy paint in a classy mudroom
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1 House Photo
Exterior paint earns its keep over years, not months — it needs to handle bleaching summers, wet winters, and the slow shifts of a neighborhood's context. Alloy has the depth and pigment quality to age gracefully through all of it.
Alloy color — maximalist house inspiration
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1 Patio Photo
Alloy on a patio surface or garden wall creates a visual anchor that ties together furniture, plantings, and architecture. It reads as intentional in a way that natural wood or stone alone rarely achieves, providing a polished "finished" look to the landscape.
industrial patio featuring Alloy by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Living Room Photo
The beauty of Alloy in a living room lies in its versatility with textures. It provides a smooth, matte-like quality that contrasts beautifully against plush velvet sofas or chunky wool rugs. It's a color that invites you to stay a little longer, creating an atmosphere that feels established rather than just decorated.
A mid century living room painted in Alloy
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Expert Perspectives
In-depth articles and real-home features from across our network of home and design sites.
Coordinating Colors
At LRV 84 vs 25, White Sand is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 65 vs 25, Grey Heron is decisively the brighter choice.
Similar Colors
With LRVs of 25 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 25), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 28 vs 25), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 28 vs 25), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 25), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 23), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 4-point LRV gap (25 vs 22) makes Alloy the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Complementary Colors
At LRV 25 vs 7, Alloy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 25, Starry Night is decisively the brighter choice.
Alloy reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 20), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 28 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 25 vs 3, Alloy is decisively the brighter choice.
Lavender Wisp reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
Lighter Colors
Summit Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 25), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 49 vs 25, March Wind is decisively the brighter choice.
Ellie Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
Pewter Cast reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 25), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Darker Colors
A 4-point LRV gap (25 vs 22) makes Alloy the marginally brighter of the two.
Alloy reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 19), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 25 vs 9, Alloy is decisively the brighter choice.
