Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray Exterior Color Palette (Real Project Spotlight)

Need a modern color palette for gray exterior stone that still feels warm and inviting? This Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray exterior color palette could be the perfect fit.

Whenever we build a color palette for a client, we always start by looking at the home’s hard finishes. For interiors, these are things like flooring and tile. For exterior projects, we’re looking at any brick or stone elements, windows and the surrounding environment.

For the exterior project we’re showcasing today – a suburban Colorado home painted with Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray exterior paint – the foundation of the palette lay in the home’s unique stone.

While it is a gray stone, it was also very earthy with plenty of taupe elements. It created a significant challenge for the homeowner to find the precisely right color. That’s when they came to us.

The homeowner said: “Michelle used several techniques to identify the best colors and computer-rendered drawings to help visualize the final design…The best painters in the world cannot make up for a poor color choice, and Michelle’s company eliminates that risk. I highly recommend The Color Concierge!”

Ready to see the full SW Dorian Gray exterior palette and find out if this gray color scheme could work for your home? Keep reading for a full breakdown.

*This post contains affiliate links for products I use and love. If you click on some links and make a purchase, I will get a small commission at no cost to you. This helps pay for the costs of the blog, so I can continue to offer great content to our readers.

What Color is Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray?

SW Dorian Gray (Sample) is a violet-gray paint color. As many of our readers know, we see grays as blue-grays (Article), violet-grays, and green-grays. The homeowners on this project were originally considering a blue-gray paint color for their house. Although that might have looked okay with the stone, it just really wasn’t perfect. Dorian Gray was the ideal complement. You can really see the difference in the undertones below:

What undertones does Dorian Gray have?

Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray has violet undertones, which is why we call it a violet-gray hue. It’s warm, but not as warm as a green-gray paint color. Think of it as the color of elephants. Green-gray looks more like concrete, and blue-gray is the color of thunderclouds.

Is Dorian Gray good for exteriors?

Yes, Dorian Gray exterior paint is gorgeous! It has enough pigment that it won’t look washed out in the bright sunlight but also doesn’t overpower a home. And because it’s a warm paint color, it coordinates well with many of the taupes, greens and warm blues that are so popular today.

Sample Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray Exterior Paint

We always recommend that you test paint colors on your home because lighting can change a color completely, both with interiors as well as exteriors.  

In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess. 

Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples! 

• Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
• Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
• Delivered overnight
• Colors are accurate
• Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
• No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of

I use these in my color consulting practice for exact results.  Discover Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples:

Project Spotlight: Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray Exterior Color Palette

The homeowners for this project came to us after first trying to design their own exterior color palette. They were looking to give their home an exterior makeover and find paint colors that would better suit their earthy gray stone.

The SW Dorian Gray palette we designed for them, which features pops of taupe and earthy blue, absolutely brings the stone and the entire house to life!

The home was fine before this transformation, but it was pretty one-dimensional. The beige and taupe palette went ok with the stone, but there was too much yellow in the palette to really flow nicely. Because the siding, board-and-batten, and garage doors were essentially all the same color, it made the whole thing feel heavy.

Before the exterior paint updates, this home looked like a typical 1990s beige house. After the exterior paint updates, the stone looks crisp and really pretty and the house as a whole feels much more cohesive, inviting and modern.

Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray Stucco Siding

Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray (Sample) ended up being the perfect color for the stucco on this home. The violet-gray hue looked beautiful with the earthy stone and perfectly complemented the other muted, earthy colors in this palette.

Sherwin-Williams Modern Gray Trim

The trim for this home is Sherwin-Williams Modern Gray (Sample), a light taupe color that coordinates well with the warm, earthy tones of this palette.

We had originally specified SW Egret White (Article) for the trim, but it was way too stark when we tested it. Modern Gray is light enough that it looks white outdoors but won’t wash out in the bright sun.

We used SW Modern Gray on the home’s soffits as well as the exterior trim. In the original palette, the soffits were the same color as the siding. But this really weighed down the color scheme and just overall looked kind of gloomy.

Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent Accents

Because we really wanted to give their home more dimension and interest, we decided to use an exterior accent color to highlight the home’s board-and-batten siding along the roof. We ended up using a color called Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent (Article). I honestly think this is one of the most beautiful paint colors known to man. It’s warm and earthy but still muted.

We used Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent (Sample) on the garage doors, too, which provided a really lovely contrast with the body of the house.

Sherwin-Williams Sun Dried Tomato Front Door

To add another pop of color to this palette, we painted the front door an earthy red: Sherwin-Williams Sun Dried Tomato (Article). This added a bit more interest to the front porch without standing out too much from the overall palette.

We also painted Modern Gray on the front porch ceiling (Article), which was initially the dark body color. Having a brighter front porch ceiling will make the interior lighter and add contrast and dimension. I also like having a lighter front porch so that you can see better – think safety.

Sample This Swiss Coffee Exterior Palette

1. Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray: Stucco
2. Sherwin-Williams Modern Gray: Roofline (fascia, gutters, soffits, front porch ceiling, window trim, door trim, garage door trim, gable trim, beams/corbels
3. Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent: Gable board-and-batten, garage doors
4. Sherwin-Williams Sundried Tomato: Front door

Key Learning Points

Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray is a warm, violet-gray paint color perfect for exterior paint projects.

• Dorian Gray’s violet undertones make it a great choice for pairing with warm, earthy stone and other earthy hues.
• When choosing an exterior paint color palette, be sure to consider the home’s hard finishes first before selecting any paint.
• If you want white exterior trim, don’t go for anything too light and bright. On this home, for example, we used Sherwin-Williams Modern Gray as the “white” trim.

Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens.  Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results from paint matching here.

No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice.  Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors here.

Online Color Consulting

Still need help picking the best paint colors?  Discover our Online Color Consulting Package.

Related Posts:

• Benjamin Moore Willowcreek Exterior Color Palette
• Choosing Exterior Paint Colors
• Best White Exterior Trim Paint Colors

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room. 

Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person.  I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.

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We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions.  If you want more specific advice, please consider purchasing a color consultation. Thank you for your understanding.