Paint colors · Sherwin-Williams, as published by the brand

Sherwin-Williams Poised Taupe SW 6039: hex #8C7E78 and LRV 21.956

Poised Taupe (SW 6039) from Sherwin-Williams is #8C7E78 with an LRV of 21.956. Its undertone reads as orange-peach inside a warm neutral.

By Paul Gunder. Every value is computed from published standards; see how ColorPlum works.

Updated November 11, 2026

Sherwin-WilliamsPoised TaupeSW 6039

Hex: #8C7E78
RGB: 140, 126, 120
LRV: 21.956
Undertone: Warm neutral, orange-peach undertone

LRV 21.956. Dark: a deep color that absorbs most light; often used on cabinets, doors and accent walls.

A neutral with a orange-peach cast (OKLCH hue 45°, chroma 0.019). Expect the orange-peach to show more in warm evening light and next to cooler whites.

Coordinating colors Sherwin-Williams suggests

Cultured PearlSW 6028
Gauzy WhiteSW 6035
Vintage VesselSW 9050

Closest colors from other brands

ΔE is the CIEDE2000 difference between the published values: under 2 is hard to tell apart on a wall, 2 to 5 is a visible but related shade. Always compare real chips before you buy.

Name, code, LRV and color value as published by Sherwin-Williams on its color page (checked 2026-11-11). A screen can only approximate paint: sheen, lighting and the screen itself all change it, so check a physical sample. ColorPlum is not affiliated with Sherwin-Williams.

ColorPlum swatchPoised Taupemedium, grayish brown

HEX: #8C7E78
RGB: rgb(140, 126, 120)
HSL: hsl(18, 8%, 51%)

Best text on it: black at 5.37:1

Build a palette Make a gradient Check contrast Wallpaper

Poised Taupe#8C7E78

Every code for Poised Taupe

HEX#8C7E78
RGBrgb(140, 126, 120)
HSLhsl(18, 8%, 51%)
HSV18°, 14%, 55%
CMYK0%, 10%, 14%, 45%
Lablab(54% 4.7 5.3)
OKLCHoklch(60.4% 0.019 44.7)
Decimal9207416

Tints, shades and tones

From white to black in 10% steps, with Poised Taupe in the middle. Tap a code to copy it.

90%#F4F2F2
80%#E8E5E4
70%#DDD8D7
60%#D1CBC9
50%#C6BFBC
40%#BAB2AE
30%#AFA5A1
20%#A39893
10%#988B86
Base#8C7E78
10%#7E716C
20%#706560
30%#625854
40%#544C48
50%#463F3C
60%#383230
70%#2A2624
80%#1C1918
90%#0E0D0C

Tones (mixed with gray)

10%#8B7E79
20%#8A7E7A
30%#887F7A
40%#877F7B
50%#867F7C
60%#857F7D
70%#847F7E
80%#82807E
90%#81807F

Matching colors

Complementary

#8C7E78
#78868C

Analogous

#8C787C
#8C7E78
#8C8878

Triadic

#8C7E78
#788C7E
#7E788C

Split complementary

#8C7E78
#788C88
#787C8C

Tetradic (square)

#8C7E78
#7C8C78
#78868C
#88788C

Monochromatic

#3A3431
#635954
#8C7E78
#AFA5A1
#D2CDCB

Poised Taupe in 3D color space

OKLab, the space ColorPlum does its math in: lightness runs up the pole, hue goes around it and saturation grows outward. The faint shell is every color a screen can show (saturation is drawn wider than lightness so hues separate). Drag to turn it.

Poised Taupe with its complement, its triad and its tint and shade

Poised Taupe
Triad #788C7E
Triad #7E788C
Complement
50% tint
50% shade

Poised Taupe in use

New collectionAutumn edit

Card body text stays dark for reading; poised taupe carries the header and the button.

Shop nowTag

Headline in Poised Taupe

A paragraph with a link in dark text, because this color is too light for text on white; use it for fills instead.

How it looks with color-vision deficiency

A simulation (Machado and colleagues, 2009) of how the color and its complement read without one type of cone.

Typical color vision#8C7E78
Protanopia (no red cones)#817F78
Deuteranopia (no green cones)#858278
Tritanopia (no blue cones)#907C7C

Contrast and readability

Pairing	Ratio	WCAG 2.2
as text on white	3.91:1	AA AA large AAA
as text on black	5.37:1	AA AA large AAA
white text on it	3.91:1	AA AA large AAA
black text on it	5.37:1	AA AA large AAA
on your background	3.41:1	AA AA large AAA

Try a background

Export

:root {
  --poised-taupe: #8c7e78;
  --poised-taupe-rgb: 140 126 120;
  --poised-taupe-on: #000000;
}

On this page

Poised Taupe (SW 6039) is a mid-dark brownish gray with the hex #8C7E78 and RGB 140, 126, 120. It is a color for surfaces you want to read as a definite shade rather than a background.

The measurements

HSL is hsl(18, 8%, 51%), HSV is 18°, 14%, 55% and OKLCH is oklch(60.4% 0.019 44.7). The chroma of 0.019 keeps it neutral, and the hue near 45 degrees gives the reading orange-peach. The color therefore reads as a warm neutral, not a pink or a true brown. At LRV 21.956 it sits in the dark band, absorbing most light, which is why paint at this depth shows up often on cabinets, doors and accent walls. Lamps after sunset will push the peach note forward, and a cool white nearby will make it more obvious.

Worked example

Imagine a bathroom vanity in a west-facing room. Painted Poised Taupe, with walls in a pale color and a bright white ceiling, the vanity becomes the anchor. The late afternoon sun leans warm, so expect the orange-peach reading to deepen around five o'clock and flatten under cool LED strips. A brushed brass pull would sit comfortably on it, though a sample on the actual door is the only real test.

The contrast numbers sit close together: black text measures 5.37:1 and white text 3.91:1. Black passes the 4.5:1 body-text level and white does not, which is unusual for a mid-dark color. If you build a label in this shade, use dark lettering for small copy and reserve white for large headings.

Pairings from the brand

Sherwin-Williams lists three coordinating colors: Cultured Pearl (SW 6028), Gauzy White (SW 6035) and Vintage Vessel (SW 9050). None has its own page here. The two whites give a light companion for trim and ceilings, while Vintage Vessel is the third option for a second accent.

Closest relatives

Inside the brand, nothing is near. Hardware (SW 6172) is ΔE 7, Tiki Hut (SW 7509) is 7.7 and Connected Gray (SW 6165) is 8.2, all clearly different. Benjamin Moore offers the nearest options: Driftwood (2107-40) at 4.3, related but visible, then Kingsport Gray (HC-86) at 6.3, Copley Gray (HC-104) at 8.4 and Sage Mountain (1488) at 10.5. Even the closest is not a swap, so compare real samples.

Because its numbers sit between a gray and a brown, it can bridge a cool gray floor and a warm wood tone in the same room. Test it beside both before you decide, since neighbors change how this kind of color is perceived.