Imagine
Imagine is a versatile Purple from Sherwin-Williams. Our real-world data shows it is a primary choice when homeowners need to add character and warmth to any space. Below, you'll find 10 examples of this shade in actual homes along with suggested color relationships.
Hex
#C2B6B6
LRV
48.30
Imagine's Color Strip
Imagine is the second shade on this 7-color strip, sitting between Individual White and Flexible Gray. The strip spans from Individual White at the lightest end to Bitter Chocolate at the deepest. Color strip 231 groups these shades together so you can see how each reads next to its neighbors.
Imagine in Real Rooms
Imagine has a medium-high LRV of 48.3 — 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 Purple family, the photos below show it applied in a bedroom, home office, living room, house, patio, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, front door and mudroom.
1 Bedroom Photo
There's a rhythmic quality to Imagine in a bedroom. It's a color that supports the circadian rhythm, mirroring the natural shadows of the evening and providing a neutral, non-stimulating canvas for the brain to decompress after a long day of digital exposure.
A cozy bedroom painted in Imagine
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1 Home Office Photo
A home office in Imagine strikes the perfect balance between focused and inviting. The color grounds the room without feeling corporate, and its depth gives the space a sense of purpose. Pair with dark wood furniture to make long working hours feel more comfortable.
Sherwin-Williams Imagine in a neutral home office
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Living Room Photo
Imagine works harder than it looks in a living room environment. Whether the space gets direct southern sun or stays north-facing and dim, the color finds its specific register — neither receding into the background nor demanding the spotlight. It acts as a sophisticated backdrop that makes every piece of furniture or art placed in front of it look immediately more considered and curated.
A mid century living room painted in Imagine
@mybudgetrecipes
1 House Photo
Imagine on an exterior reads differently at different scales: approachable up close, commanding from the street. It works especially well on houses with good trim detail, where the contrast between wall and trim can do real visual work.
Imagine color — eclectic house inspiration
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1 Patio Photo
Using Imagine on outdoor furniture or structures helps them "recede" into the shadows of the garden, creating a more seamless and naturalistic look. It avoids the harsh, synthetic feel that many outdoor-specific colors can have.
coastal patio featuring Imagine by Sherwin-Williams
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Dining Room Photo
Pairing Imagine with a white ceiling and high white wainscoting creates a classic, high-contrast look that is perfect for a traditional dining space. It brings a sense of architectural rhythm and formality that is hard to achieve with lighter tones.
Imagine paint in a contemporary dining room
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Kitchen Photo
Imagine is particularly effective in kitchens with a lot of natural light. It tempers the glare from sun hitting polished surfaces, providing a matte-like visual anchor that keeps the room feeling grounded even during the brightest parts of the day.
Imagine — modern luxury kitchen
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Bathroom Photo
Pairing Imagine with natural stone like travertine or slate creates an earthy, elemental bathroom that feels connected to nature. It moves the design away from plastic-heavy modernism toward something much more timeless and tactile.
Imagine — vintage bathroom
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1 Front Door Photo
Using Imagine for the front door allows the hardware to be the "jewelry" of the house. Whether you choose a modern long-bar handle or a traditional knocker, the color provides the perfect stage for the metalwork to shine.
cottagecore front door featuring Imagine by Sherwin-Williams
@mybudgetrecipes
1 Mudroom Photo
The depth of Imagine is a secret weapon against the "dirty" look that many light-colored mudrooms eventually suffer from. It retains its freshness and intentionality even when it's not perfectly clean, which is essential for an active family.
Imagine paint in a cottagecore mudroom
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Coordinating Colors
At LRV 72 vs 48, Smart White is decisively the brighter choice.
Gauzy White reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 48), opening up a space where Imagine encloses it.
Imagine reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 22), opening up a space where Poised Taupe encloses it.
Trim Color
At LRV 72 vs 48, Smart White is decisively the brighter choice.
Similar Colors
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 50 vs 48), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 48), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 48 and 46, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 47), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 49 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 46), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 48 vs 45), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Vaguely Mauve reads slightly lighter (LRV 57 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 48 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Complementary Colors
Mountain Air reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 48), opening up a space where Imagine encloses it.
Niebla Azul reads slightly lighter (LRV 53 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 5-point LRV gap (53 vs 48) makes Silver Lake the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 77 vs 48, Glass Bead is decisively the brighter choice.
Imagine reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 29), opening up a space where Morning at Sea encloses it.
Imagine reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 6), opening up a space where Mount Etna encloses it.
Lighter Colors
Cloud Nine reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 48), opening up a space where Imagine encloses it.
Mauve Tinge reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 48), opening up a space where Imagine encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 50 vs 48), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Vaguely Mauve reads slightly lighter (LRV 57 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Darker Colors
Imagine reads slightly lighter (LRV 48 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 49 and 48, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Imagine reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 27), opening up a space where Rosaline Pearl encloses it.
At LRV 48 vs 30, Imagine is decisively the brighter choice.