Sherwin Williams Dovetail – Neutral Grey Paint Color
Today’s paint color review is all about Sherwin Williams Dovetail SW 7018. It’s an extremely versatile paint color in the neutral color family. Overall, it is a grey paint color and looks great on walls, cabinets, interior doors and trim, and even exteriors.
Just like all paint colors, there are undertones that may not be visible at first blush. Let’s take a look at Sherwin Williams Dovetail in real life examples and do a good paint color review.
If you’d like to see more paint color reviews on other popular Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint colors, check out these other blog posts:
What Color is Sherwin Williams Dovetail?
Dovetail is a warm gray paint color. Because it has warmer undertones, it can look softer and less traditional than cool gray paint colors like Sherwin Williams Passive. Depending on the amount of light and direction your windows are facing, you may see more or less of the warmth come out.
North-facing light typically pulls a coolness out of most paint colors and the same holds true for Dovetail. However, the really pretty warmth gets pulled out in a south-facing room. It just depends what you prefer and your situation at hand if Dovetail is the color for you.
In this bathroom they used Dovetail on the vanity cabinet. It’s a nice medium tone grey here and contrasts with the white walls and even darker gray floor tile. I love the choice of Dovetail here because otherwise the bathroom can get really sterile and washed out if everything from the doors to trim to walls are white. Sometimes you need contrast to break it up.
The LRV of Dovetail is 26, so it definitely has depth and isn’t overly light such as Colonnade Gray. A quick rundown on LRV and what it means. It is the light reflective value and how much light paint color reflects. The higher the number, the more reflective and therefore the lighter the paint color. At 26, it is in the lower quarter of paint colors so it’s not considered a “light” paint color.
In this space, dovetail is used on the cabinets again but this time in a moodier setting with a deep charcoal on the walls. There is a large window that appears to let in ample light so it keeps the room from feeling too dark. You can see how versatile Dovetail really is just when looking at the differences in these two photos.
Dovetail makes a beautiful paint color for exteriors. It’s not too dark, not too light and looks great with black shingles and crisp white trim. Such a classic look!
What are the Undertones of Sherwin Williams Dovetail?
Every single paint color, no matter the color, has undertones. Undertones are the other colors present in the paint color that may not be visible right away. Sometimes different light will pull out the undertones, sometimes you don’t notice the undertones until comparing it to other paint colors or materials in the space. Just looking at a paint swatch in a store with fluorescent lighting will not help you to get a true picture of what the paint color will look like in your home. It’s best to always sample it in your home on the very area you are painting.
The best way to sample paint colors is by using Samplize peel and stick sheets that peel and stick right on your wall surface. It’s mess-free, don’t have to wait for paint to dry and super affordable! They have the actual paint color painted on each sheet and you can peel and stick them wherever you need and easily move them around to other walls. No paint brushes required! The sheets are half the cost of traditional paint sample pots, plus you don’t have to buy a full quart of paint you might not end up using. I highly recommend them! Plus they deliver to your door 🙂 Learn all about Samplize here.
What is the best white paint color for my trim if I’m painting my walls Dovetail?
My two top recommendations for white paint are:
Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Sherwin Williams Pure White
Read more: 6 Best White Paint Colors for Trim and Doors
Dovetail is a popular paint color for kitchen cabinets or islands. As when selecting any paint color, just be sure it matches your countertops and backsplash. Thinking about getting new countertops? Read this: Everything You Need to Know Before Selecting White Quartz Countertops.
