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

Sherwin-Williams Sands of Time SW 6101: hex #BCA38B, LRV and undertone

Sands of Time (SW 6101) from Sherwin-Williams is #BCA38B with an LRV of 38.6. It measures as a warm neutral with an orange-peach undertone, and black text on it reaches 8.74:1.

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

Updated November 11, 2026

Sherwin-WilliamsSands of TimeSW 6101

Hex: #BCA38B
RGB: 188, 163, 139
LRV: 38.617
Undertone: Warm neutral, orange-peach undertone

LRV 38.617. 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 66°, chroma 0.045). Expect the orange-peach to show more in warm evening light and next to cooler whites.

Coordinating colors Sherwin-Williams suggests

Pacer WhiteSW 6098
Aged WhiteSW 9180
Llama WoolSW 9089

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 swatchSands of Timelight, soft brown

HEX: #BCA38B
RGB: rgb(188, 163, 139)
HSL: hsl(29, 27%, 64%)

Best text on it: black at 8.74:1

Build a palette Make a gradient Check contrast Wallpaper

Sands of Time#BCA38B

Every code for Sands of Time

HEX#BCA38B
RGBrgb(188, 163, 139)
HSLhsl(29, 27%, 64%)
HSV29°, 26%, 74%
CMYK0%, 13%, 26%, 26%
Lablab(68.8% 6.7 16.1)
OKLCHoklch(73.1% 0.045 65.9)
Decimal12362635

Tints, shades and tones

From white to black in 10% steps, with Sands of Time in the middle. Tap a code to copy it.

90%#F8F6F3
80%#F2EDE8
70%#EBE3DC
60%#E4DAD1
50%#DED1C5
40%#D7C8B9
30%#D0BFAE
20%#C9B5A2
10%#C3AC97
Base#BCA38B
10%#A9937D
20%#96826F
30%#847261
40%#716253
50%#5E5246
60%#4B4138
70%#38312A
80%#26211C
90%#13100E

Tones (mixed with gray)

10%#B6A08A
20%#B09C89
30%#AA9988
40%#A49587
50%#9E9286
60%#988E84
70%#928B83
80%#8C8782
90%#868481

Matching colors

Complementary

#BCA38B
#8BA4BC

Analogous

#BC8B8B
#BCA38B
#BCBB8B

Triadic

#BCA38B
#8BBCA3
#A38BBC

Split complementary

#BCA38B
#8BBCBC
#8B8BBC

Tetradic (square)

#BCA38B
#8CBC8B
#8BA4BC
#BB8BBC

Monochromatic

#6E5740
#9F7D5C
#BCA38B
#D8C9BB
#F4F0EC

Sands of Time 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.

Sands of Time with its complement, its triad and its tint and shade

Sands of Time
Triad #8BBCA3
Triad #A38BBC
Complement
50% tint
50% shade

Sands of Time in use

New collectionAutumn edit

Card body text stays dark for reading; sands of time carries the header and the button.

Shop nowTag

Headline in Sands of Time

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#BCA38B
Protanopia (no red cones)#ABA489
Deuteranopia (no green cones)#B1AA8B
Tritanopia (no blue cones)#C59E9C

Contrast and readability

Pairing	Ratio	WCAG 2.2
as text on white	2.40:1	AA AA large AAA
as text on black	8.74:1	AA AA large AAA
white text on it	2.40:1	AA AA large AAA
black text on it	8.74:1	AA AA large AAA
on your background	2.09:1	AA AA large AAA

Try a background

Export

:root {
  --sands-of-time: #bca38b;
  --sands-of-time-rgb: 188 163 139;
  --sands-of-time-on: #000000;
}

On this page

Sands of Time is Sherwin-Williams SW 6101, a mid-depth tan with hex #BCA38B and RGB 188, 163, 139. It leans warm enough that you will notice the color even in a dim hallway, yet it is quiet enough to sit behind furniture.

Numbers behind the tan

The LRV is 38.6, which the site's scale labels dark: a deep color that absorbs most light, often used on cabinets, doors and accent walls. Its HSL is hsl(29, 27%, 64%), CMYK is 0%, 13%, 26%, 26%, and OKLCH is oklch(73.1% 0.045 65.9). A hue of 66 degrees with chroma 0.045 reads as a warm neutral with an orange-peach undertone. Expect the peach to deepen at dusk or beside crisp whites, so pair it with a white that has a little warmth of its own.

Where it sits among other tans

Sherwin-Williams has nothing very close. Balanced Beige (SW 7037) is ΔE 6 away and Diverse Beige (SW 6079) is 6.8, both clearly different, as is Rushing River (SW 7746) at 9.6. The nearest match overall is Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan (HC-44) at 5, right on the edge of related and different. Behr Smokestack (N220-3) is 6.9, Benjamin Moore Pashmina (AF-100) is 7.7 and Silver Fox (2108-50) is 8.9. In short, if you want this exact peach-tan, buy this one rather than hunting for a substitute, and compare any alternative against a real swatch.

Worked example

Consider a bedroom with an east window and a headboard wall you want to warm up. Paint that one wall in Sands of Time and keep the other three lighter. Sherwin-Williams lists three coordinating colors: Pacer White (SW 6098), Aged White (SW 9180) and Llama Wool (SW 9089). Aged White is a sensible choice for the trim and side walls, since it keeps the room calm while the tan holds the focal wall. Morning light from the east brings out the peach, and by evening it settles toward a duller, more tan look. None of the three coordinating colors has a page here, so use the codes to request chips.

Text and labels

Black text on #BCA38B measures 8.74:1, while white text measures just 2.40:1. If you are using this shade as a background for a product label or a web section, set the lettering in black or a very dark brown.

Because the LRV sits at 38.6, this tan is not a pale wall color and not a deep one either. It suits rooms with at least one decent window, where it reads as a warm backdrop for white linens and dark wood. In a windowless space it can feel heavy, so pair it with lighter textiles and a bright overhead fixture, and test a sample board in both corners of the room.