Paint Review // Sherwin Williams First Star 7646

While working with our Chicago client, we quickly realized that the perfect paint color for their renovation would be key to create a cohesive and neutral palette. As the kitchen and powder room renovations progressed, we made sure to prioritize the paint selection for the home. After research and mock-ups we ultimately landed on the perfect light gray paint - Sherwin Williams First Star 7646.

Check out these in real life photos to see how SW First Star worked for others and the different light gray paint colors we considered. We discuss SW Fist Start undertones, how it looks in different lighting and how this light gray paint compares to others like SW Big Chill and SW Rock Candy.

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SW First Star // Research + Inspiration Images

When selecting paint color(s) we love to see how it looks in other's spaces as well. While this is just one part to consider (seeing the color in your space is the most important) we couldn't help but share some other lovely photos of Sherwin William's First Star. This beautiful light gray paint color looks stunning in any space from nursery to family room to powder room.

Bedroom // SW First Star

via Home Bunch + Kennedy Cole Interior Design

Bathroom // SW First Star

via Home Bunch + Kennedy Cole Interior Design

Primary Bedroom // SW First Star

via Home Bunch

Laundry Room // SW First Star

via Home Bunch

Bedroom // SW First Star

via Home Bunch

Nursery // SW First Star

via Project Nursery + Veronika's Blushing

Nursery // SW First Star

via Project Nursery + Veronika's Blushing

Dining Room // SW First Star

via Home Bunch + Kennedy Cole Interior Design

Tips + Client in Progress Photos

Whether there is full, partial or indirect light - Sherwin Williams First Star looks stunning in our client's home. It is extremely versatile and gives you the flexibility to incorporate into a variety of spaces for the perfect light gray paint.

SW First Star undertones are great - it is not too warm or cool. So this is a great selection for homes that still might have the traditional and warmer palette in other areas of the house. Our client's home had warmer and creamy paint colors in the dining room and family room so by selecting SW First Star were were able to introduce this lovely hue of gray while also complimenting the adjacent parts to the home.

Tip: When selecting paint, make sure to take into account how the adjacent rooms connect to the space and how the paint and colors of those rooms will work with your new paint color.

Kitchen // SW First Star 7646

(With overhead light)

Kitchen // SW First Star 7646

(No overhead light)

Kid's Room // SW First Star 7646

(No overhead light and full natural light)

Guest Bedroom // SW First Star 7646

(No overhead light and partial natural light)

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Light Gray Paint we Considered

We knew we wanted a light gray color to provide some subtle contrast to the kitchen cabinets and pick up on the gray accents on the quartz countertops. Also, we wanted to paint the bedrooms, powder room and others spaces with a light gray so we needed to ensure it would work not only in the kitchen but in other key areas of our client's home.

The four initial Sherwin Williams light gray paint colors we reviewed were: SW Rock Candy, SW Big Chill, SW Tinsmith and of course SW First Star.

We narrowed it down to our top three options pretty quickly (realized SW Tinsmith was too dark) and then we went ahead with the mock-ups.

Tip: Make sure to place paint samples in different parts of a home so you can really see how the paint looks in areas that have an abundance of natural light vs. those that don't. Both natural and artificial light can heavily influence the paint selection for your space.

Our Final Thoughts from the Mock-Up:

Sherwin Williams First Star (SW 7646): This was the winner for us! After reviewing it in the kitchen and bedrooms, we knew this was the perfect selection for our client's home renovation. With a LRV of 69 it was in a perfect range to ensure we maintained and light and bright feeling throughout the home.

• Stunning, No Matter The Lighting. The client's home receives plenty of natural light but we still wanted to ensure the light gray paint looked just as beautiful in artificial and partial light. SW First Star is perfect - it never looks too dark or light and maintains the perfect light gray balance no matter what type of lighting.

• Subtle Undertones. This light gray has very subtle undertones, not too warm or cool so we could use the paint in a variety of rooms, whether they had rich wood flooring or a neutral carpet.

• Just Enough Contrast for the White Kitchen Cabinets. A larger portion of the renovation was focused on the kitchen remodel. We selected white cabinets and wanted to ensure the paint provided enough contrast (so everything doesn't blend together) but while ensuring sure the kitchen maintained an airy feeling.

Sherwin Williams Rock Candy (SW 6231): This light gray paint was our runner-up, but ultimately it was too light. With a LRV of 75 (vs. a LRV = 69 for SW First Star) this made sense that we felt the paint was going to be too bright and reflect too much in our client's home. If your home doesn't have a ton of natural light - then SW Rock Candy might be the perfect light gray paint color for your home. Also, depending on the light it can show some of the blue/purple undertones and we really wanted to stay more with a blue/gray option.

Sherwin Williams Big Chill (SW 7648): This color was ultimately too dark for our client's home especially since they have beautiful dark wood flooring we felt that we needed a paint that was a little brighter. The LRV is slightly lower than SW First Star (Big Chill at 62) it was enough of a difference to feel a little too dark for the space. We will definitely consider this option in the future, so a great option if you are looking for a light gray with a little more depth.

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Check out out other paint review from Grace + Henry Designs. And let us know if there is a specific paint color or hue you want us to review! We hope this helps in your next paint color selection.