Empire Gold
Often used for its versatile qualities, Empire Gold remains a staple for Sherwin-Williams designers. It is widely considered one of the best colors in its class to add character and warmth to any space. We've gathered 11 real-home scenarios to help you visualize this color alongside our expert data.
Hex
#C19F6E
LRV
37.26
Empire Gold in Real Rooms
Empire Gold has a medium-high LRV of 37.26 — present enough to register on the wall without making a room feel heavy. It's neutral in temperature and , making it adaptable across different lighting conditions and room orientations. Grouped in the Yellow family, the photos below show it applied in a living room, front door, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, home office, mudroom, patio, kitchen and house.
2 Living Room Photos
There is a specific "glow" that Empire Gold takes on during the golden hour in a living room. As the sun sets, the pigments react with the low-angled light to create a hazy, ethereal atmosphere that feels incredibly high-end. It's a color that rewards those who use the room during the transition of the day.
Hallway walls glow with warm Empire Gold throughout this inviting passage.
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Architectural walls transition beautifully in rich Empire Gold tones.
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1 Front Door Photo
There's a psychological sense of "arrival" when you step up to a door painted in Empire Gold. It feels solid, grounded, and permanent, giving both residents and guests a sense of stability as they cross the threshold.
traditional front door featuring Empire Gold by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Bathroom Photo
In the bathroom, Empire Gold brings a spa-like intentionality to the space. It responds well to task lighting and natural light alike, and pairs beautifully with white fixtures, warm wood vanities, or brushed brass hardware for a polished, restful result.
Empire Gold — coastal bathroom
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1 Bedroom Photo
Empire Gold creates a bedroom that feels deliberately calm rather than accidentally plain. The color absorbs the first rays of morning light without bouncing them back harshly, which means waking up in this environment feels gentle and gradual. Keep the window treatments simple and let the walls do the heavy lifting.
A traditional bedroom painted in Empire Gold
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1 Dining Room Photo
The best dining room colors look different lit by daylight versus candlelight, and Empire Gold is one of them. It holds the room's warmth in the evening in a way that makes dinner feel like an occasion even when it's just a casual weeknight.
Empire Gold paint in a traditional dining room
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1 Home Office Photo
In a workspace, Empire Gold helps to reduce "visual noise," allowing your mind to focus on the task at hand. It provides a steady, non-distracting horizon line that is particularly helpful for those in creative or high-concentration fields.
Sherwin-Williams Empire Gold in a warm home office
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1 Mudroom Photo
Painting mudroom cubbies and benches in Empire Gold creates a built-in look that feels like a deliberate part of the home's architecture. It turns a utilitarian storage area into a sophisticated "moment" in the house's layout.
A rustic modern mudroom painted in Empire Gold
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1 Patio Photo
Empire Gold is particularly effective when used on a garden wall as a backdrop for plants. The deep tone makes the bright greens of leaves and the vibrant colors of flowers look almost neon in their intensity, creating a high-design garden look.
Empire Gold paint in a coastal patio
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1 Kitchen Photo
For smaller kitchens, Empire Gold can be used to create a "jewel box" effect. By painting the walls and trim in this same shade, you eliminate visual breaks, making the room feel more expansive and sophisticated despite its modest footprint.
Empire Gold — organic modern kitchen
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1 House Photo
The way Empire Gold interacts with exterior lighting—like sconces or path lights—is dramatic. At night, the house takes on a protective, fortress-like quality that feels incredibly secure and welcoming to those returning home.
Empire Gold color — scandinavian house inspiration
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Coordinating Colors
Chopsticks reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 37), opening up a space where Empire Gold encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (37 vs 25) makes Empire Gold the marginally brighter of the two.
Similar Colors
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 37 vs 35), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Vintage Gold reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 37 and 36, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 37 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Stonebriar reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 37 vs 36), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 6-point LRV gap (43 vs 37) makes Downing Straw the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 37 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 37 and 35, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 40 and 37, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Complementary Colors
At LRV 37 vs 7, Empire Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 37 vs 11, Empire Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 37 vs 7, Empire Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 37, Starry Night is decisively the brighter choice.
Empire Gold reflects far more light (LRV 37 vs 20), opening up a space where Soulful Blue encloses it.
At LRV 37 vs 22, Empire Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
Empire Gold reads slightly lighter (LRV 37 vs 28), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Lighter Colors
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 37 vs 37), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Kilim Beige reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 37), opening up a space where Empire Gold encloses it.
Harmonic Tan reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Natural Wool reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 37), opening up a space where Empire Gold encloses it.
Fresco Cream reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 37), opening up a space where Empire Gold encloses it.
Darker Colors
At LRV 37 vs 17, Empire Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 37 vs 35), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 37 vs 17, Empire Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 37 and 34, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 11-point LRV gap (37 vs 26) makes Empire Gold the marginally brighter of the two.