Elephant's Breath → Sherwin Williams
The closest Sherwin Williams matches for Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath (No.229), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Elephant's Breath
If you love Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath but need a Sherwin Williams alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Sherwin Williams, your local store does not carry Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Elephant's Breath (No.229) is a medium-dark greige with warm purple-gray undertones. One of Farrow & Ball's most iconic colors. A complex warm gray with a distinctive purple-mauve undertone that sets it apart from standard greiges. Named for the dusty warmth of an elephant's exhalation. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 31) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Elephant's Breath and every Sherwin Williams color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
The results are decent but not perfect. The closest Sherwin Williams option is Mega Greige (SW 7031) with a Delta E of 4.4, which is a "good match" level match. Mega Greige is the closest SW option. Similar depth and warmth, though it doesn't capture the purple undertone that makes Elephant's Breath special. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Sherwin Williams Matches for Elephant's Breath
Mega Greige is the closest SW option. Similar depth and warmth, though it doesn't capture the purple undertone that makes Elephant's Breath special.
| Elephant's Breath | Mega Greige | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 31 | 38 |
| Hex | #B5ABA0 | #B3ACA2 |
| Undertone | Warm Purple-Gray | Rich Greige |
| Family | Greige | Greige |
Dovetail is darker and more purely gray. Lacks the warmth and purple character.
| Elephant's Breath | Dovetail | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 31 | 26 |
| Hex | #B5ABA0 | #9D9A94 |
| Undertone | Warm Purple-Gray | Warm Gray |
| Family | Greige | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
Elephant's Breath has warm purple-gray undertones. One of Farrow & Ball's most iconic colors. A complex warm gray with a distinctive purple-mauve undertone that sets it apart from standard greiges. Named for the dusty warmth of an elephant's exhalation.
Mega Greige has rich greige undertones. A rich, warm medium greige. More depth than Anew Gray. A sophisticated neutral with real presence.
The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Elephant's Breath's warm purple-gray quality may read differently than Mega Greige's rich greige character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Elephant's Breath in Your Room
The purple undertone is most visible in north-facing rooms and cool daylight. In warm south light, it reads more as a warm mid-gray. Under incandescent lighting, the purple fades and the warmth dominates. Stunning with both brass and chrome hardware.
Mega Greige in Your Room
Warm and grounding. The greige quality is balanced and consistent across lighting conditions.
LRV and Brightness
Elephant's Breath has an LRV of 31, while Mega Greige has an LRV of 38. That means Mega Greige reflects more light. If you switch from Elephant's Breath to Mega Greige, the room should feel slightly brighter and more open.
Best Rooms for Elephant's Breath
Farrow & Ball recommends Elephant's Breath for: living room, bedroom, hallway, dining room, whole house. With an LRV of 31, this is a medium-dark color that is in the medium range, adding real depth and presence to a room. It works best in rooms with good natural light or as an accent wall color. In smaller or darker rooms, pair it with bright white trim to keep the space from feeling closed in.
Mega Greige is recommended for: living room, dining room, bedroom, accent wall, office. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Mega Greige in the same rooms you planned for Elephant's Breath.
Elephant's Breath in Other Brands
Looking for Elephant's Breath equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Elephant's Breath (No.229) is Mega Greige (SW 7031) with a Delta E of 4.4, which rates as a "good match" match. Mega Greige is the closest SW option. Similar depth and warmth, though it doesn't capture the purple undertone that makes Elephant's Breath special. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Elephant's Breath is a Farrow & Ball color with warm purple-gray undertones and an LRV of 31. Mega Greige is a Sherwin Williams color with rich greige undertones and an LRV of 38. With a Delta E of 4.4, you will likely notice a difference, especially in bright or direct lighting. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 4.4, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Sherwin Williams equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Sherwin Williams. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Sherwin Williams work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 26, 2026.