Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil (SW 9165) is our favorite Sherwin-Williams greige color, hands down. It doesn’t get as much love online as Agreeable Gray (link to review here), but we like it a thousand times more. Gossamer Veil has similar undertones, primarily green with a flash of violet.
What makes Gossamer Veil (sample here) so amazing (and better than Agreeable Gray) is that it is crisp and clean without the fleshy tones that AG can have in a darker room. The name says Gossamer, and that’s really what the color looks like! It’s sheer and lovely and clean. If you are looking for a warm gray without any strong undertones, Gossamer Veil is your color, and one of Sherwin-Williams 50 Most Popular Colors.
Please note: All the photos in this post come from Color Concierge projects and are part of our portfolio. These are not professional photos, and most are customer photos that give a realistic look of the paint color. These photos are not color-edited.
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What color is Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil?
Gossamer Veil is a warm greige paint color. It’s long been one of our favorite neutrals but is becoming even more popular heading into 2025 as more homeowners opt for warm neutrals rather than cool grays and whites. This color almost looks like a light beige in a room filled with light and leans more toward gray in conditions with dimmer light.
What is the LRV of Gossamer Veil?
The LRV (Light Reflectance Value) is 62 (scale from 1(dark) to 100(light), which makes it light-reflecting and a great color for many residential rooms. It looks even lighter than expected for an LRV of 62 when you see it in person. It reminds me of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, which is a much lighter color with an LRV of 74.
What are the Gossamer Veil undertones?
Gossamer Veil has primarily green undertones that sometimes flash violet in certain lighting. It’s these undertones that make Gossamer Veil so lovely and inviting.
Is Gossamer Veil warm or cool?
Gossamer Veil is a warm paint color, thanks to its mostly green undertones. It’s a fairly muted color with plenty of gray, but it still looks warm on the wall, especially in homes with lots of natural light.
In this client’s mountain home, for example, Gossamer Veil looks so warm and inviting paired with all of the natural wood trim and warm lighting.
Is Gossamer Veil warmer than Agreeable Gray?
Yes, Gossamer Veil is warmer than Agreeable Gray. While the two colors have similar undertones, Gossamer Veil is cleaner, while Agreeable Gray is fleshier in low light. It appears darker and cooler on the wall.
Sample SW Gossamer Veil
We always recommend that you test paint colors (article) in your home because lighting can completely change a paint color, both on interiors and 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 and sample Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil (Sample) via the link below.
When should I use Gossamer Veil paint?
This paint color is incredibly balanced. It looks great in light-filled rooms or darker rooms with low light. It can look fabulous with modern white kitchens with quartz, and make older homes with Tuscan finishes look modern. Make sure to test this color carefully as with any other before you paint!
Can you use Gossamer Veil in a North-facing room?
This room has primarily Northern exposure, and the color still looks soft, neutral, harmonious, and lovely. It was an amazing transformation from the previous Tuscan color palette. The accent wall color over the fireplace is SW Fawn Brindle, a darker version of Gossamer Veil. Note how much more harmonious the fireplace tile looks with this palette.
Is a Gossamer Veil entryway a good idea?
If you have an entryway that is full of natural light, Gossamer Veil walls can look really beautiful. Our client’s mountain home is the perfect example of this.
The two-story entryway features large windows and lots of natural light. But its original dark green paint color didn’t do anything to make the space feel welcoming and bright. Once it was updated with Gossamer Veil walls, it’s a truly wonderful space to welcome guests to this beautiful home.
The dark green original interior can be seen below.
Can you use a Gossamer Veil whole-house color palette?
Yes, Gossamer Veil can be a beautiful whole-house paint color! That’s exactly how we used this hue in our client’s mountain home, which was full of natural wood trim.
We had originally planned to paint all the trim white. But in the end, we left it as-is because the SW Gossamer Veil walls looked so beautiful paired with the warm wood and the home’s earthy stone.
We had considered SW Alabaster for the whole-house color, but in the end, we decided it looked too bright in some of the rooms. The homeowner also didn’t want a white because she felt it wasn’t as cozy.
Gossamer Veil looked beautiful throughout the different spaces of this home, shifting well between darker rooms (like the upstairs bedroom pictured above) and brighter rooms (like the main living area pictured below).
Is a Gossamer Veil kitchen a good idea?
Our client’s mountain home kitchen is one of my favorite parts of this project. The white kitchen cabinets were purchased (not painted). The white perimeter cabinets are similar to SW Alabaster and the island is a match to SW Retreat.
While the kitchen is one of the darker spaces in this home, Gossamer Veil still looks warm and lovely and keeps the kitchen feeling bright.
What are the best trim and ceiling colors for Gossamer Veil?
White Trim and Interior White Door Paint
We like to use crisp whites such as SW Extra White (sample here), and soft off-whites such as SW Pure White (sample here), SW Alabaster (sample here), or SW Greek Villa (sample here). If you get much darker than that, the whites start to get creamy, and the “white” color will look yellow. Avoid creamy whites such as SW Westhighland White and SW Shell White. The trim and doors should be the same white color, and the sheen should be Semi-Gloss.
This stairway was transformed with Gossamer White as the wall color and Extra White on the trim and baseboards.
This before photo shows that the handrails and trim were previously unpainted. A consistent white trim color looks more harmonious and intentional.
Here is another angle of the fireplace with the Fawn Brindle accents.
White Ceiling Paint
For ceilings, we like to use the same ceiling white as the trim white, and painted with a flat sheen.
Can I use Gossamer Veil Exterior Paint?
Yes, Gossamer Veil can look like a soft white outside, where the bright sun makes colors 5-10 lighter and brighter in the sunshine.
Using Gossamer Veil Exterior Body Paint
Gossamer Veil is one of our favorite light exterior paint colors. The client’s home featured below is a contemporary, suburban house with stucco siding. We used Gossamer Veil for the siding, laying the foundation for a low-contrast color palette that also featured Sherwin-Williams Fawn Brindle (Sample) for the roofline (fascia, soffits and gutters), as well as the stucco window trim.
We used Gossamer Veil on another client’s home (pictured below) for a painted brick exterior.
We painted the soffits, fascia, gutters and window trim with SW Iron Ore (Color review article) to align with the home’s black window frames and used Sherwin-Williams Classic French Gray (Sample) for the shutters and garage doors.
Using Gossamer Veil Exterior Trim
You can also use Gossamer Veil exterior paint as a “white” trim color, especially in a location with bright sunshine such as Colorado, Florida, Texas, or Florida.
Gossamer Veil works especially well as exterior white trim if the siding color is a medium to dark color, such as the home below.
When should I avoid Gossamer Veil?
Don’t use Gossamer Veil with Creamy Whites, or cool grays with violet undertones such as Repose Gray. For some reason, they suck the life out of each other.
The Best SW Gossamer Veil Alternatives
Agreeable Gray vs. Gossamer Veil
Agreeable Gray (samples here) is a darker and cooler gray color, with strong green and some violet undertones. It is fleshier in low light than Gossamer Veil. Gossamer Veil has similar undertones but is cleaner and brighter. They can be used in similar situations.
As with Agreeable Gray (Color Review Article), Gossamer Veil can be a beautiful color, but only when used the right way. Paint colors are a tool, and you should pick a color because it looks great in the room, not because the color is pretty. If it looks great in the room, with your hard finishes and decor, then you will love it!
Gossamer Veil vs. Repose Gray
Benjamin Moore Repose Gray (sample here) is a much cooler and darker gray color than Gossamer Veil. Repose (Color Review Article) has strong violet undertones vs. Gossamer’s soft green ones. I wouldn’t use them in the same room, and when one looks good in a room, the other one usually is not an option.
Gossamer Veil vs. Drift of Mist
Drift of Mist is lighter than Gossamer Veil but can feel heavier because it has cool violet undertones. Drift of Mist (sample here) is a light version of Repose Gray. I wouldn’t use these in the same situations. If Gossamer Veil looks great in a room, Drift of Mist will not look as good, and vice versa.
Gossamer Veil vs. Bruton White
Benjamin Moore Bruton White is almost identical to Gossamer Veil. I personally can’t tell the difference between the two unless I look very closely. Bruton White (sample here) might be slightly cooler than Gossamer. You can substitute them for each other, but as always, test carefully.
Which Benjamin Moore paint color is closest to Gossamer Veil?
Benjamin Moore Bruton White is almost identical to Gossamer Veil. Bruton White isn’t a perfect match, but it’s close enough that I could use as a replacement for Gossamer Veil in similar situations.
Of course, we never recommend matching paint colors from Sherwin to Benjamin Moore. Learn more about matching paint colors here.
Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Similar to Agreeable Gray, but without the fleshy undertones
- Looks great in light-filled rooms or darker rooms with low light
- Very versatile, can look more gray or more beige depending on the light
Cons:
- Don’t pair with creamy white trim paint, such as SW Westhighland White or SW Shell White
- Does not work well with cool grays with violet undertones
Key Learning Points
Gossamer Veil is a soft, clean, and beautiful paint color. It is well balanced, and as long as the color pairs well with your decor and hard finishes, it can look great in most light exposures.
- Gossamer Veil is a warm hue with green undertones that sometimes flash violet.
- Gossamer Veil looks especially beautiful in homes full of natural light. It works best in rooms with low light when it’s contrasted with white trim or ceiling paint.
- Gossamer Veil is a great light neutral exterior paint option. In bright, sunny climates it can even be used as a “white” exterior trim color with darker body colors.
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.
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Related Posts
- All About Classic Gray
- All About Agreeable Gray – The Good and Bad
- Repose Gray Color Review
- Balboa Mist Color Review
- Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil Exterior Paint Review
- Best White Exterior Trim Colors
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.
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.
3 Responses
Suggestion please. Using Gossamer Veil for wall color in open concept kitchen/family room. Not wanting to do white cabinets in kitchen. Looking for a nice complementary color for kitchen cabinets and trim color for baseboards/molding. Can you advise please?
I like Gossamar Veil very much. But, it looks awful in the picture with those orangey, gold yellow floors. They clash big time. Love it paired with Fawn Brindle.
I have Gossamer Veil on my mudroom walls, and I am having mudroom cabinetry built. I am struggling for a color for the cabinetry. The room is dark with very little natural light. I don’t know what colors coordinate with this wall color. Any advice?