Downy (SW 7002)
A warm, soft off-white. Gentler than Alabaster.
About Sherwin Williams Downy
Downy (SW 7002) is a off-white from Sherwin Williams's collection with an LRV of 78 and warm soft cream undertones. A warm, soft off-white. Gentler than Alabaster.
With a light-to-medium LRV of 78, Downy sits in a versatile sweet spot. It has enough depth to read as more than a white or off-white, adding real color and character to a room, while still reflecting enough light to keep spaces feeling open and airy. This is the range where most popular whole-house colors live, because they offer warmth and personality without making rooms feel smaller.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV)
Downy has an LRV of 78, placing it in the light range on the 0-to-100 scale. LRV measures the percentage of visible light a color reflects. A pure black has an LRV of 0 and a pure white has an LRV of 100. Understanding a color's LRV helps you predict how it will feel in your space: higher LRV means brighter and more spacious, lower LRV means cozier and more intimate.
Undertone Analysis
Downy has warm soft cream undertones. Undertones are the subtle background colors that become visible in different lighting conditions. Even colors that look "neutral" in the store will reveal their undertones once they are on your walls and interacting with natural light, artificial light, and the colors around them.
A warm, soft off-white. Gentler than Alabaster. Warm undertones like these pair naturally with other warm elements: honey-toned wood floors, brass and gold hardware, cream-colored textiles, and warm-toned furnishings. They can clash with strongly cool elements like icy blue accents or chrome fixtures, though the effect depends on the strength of the undertone.
Lighting Behavior
Warm and soft. A whisper of cream.
Every paint color looks different depending on the light source in your room. South-facing rooms get warm, direct sunlight that brings out yellow and warm undertones. North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light that emphasizes blue and gray undertones. East-facing rooms are bright and warm in the morning, cooler in the afternoon. West-facing rooms are the opposite: cool morning, warm afternoon. Incandescent and warm LED bulbs push colors warmer, while cool-white LEDs and fluorescent tubes push colors cooler. To avoid surprises, always test Downy with a physical sample on your actual wall, and observe it at different times of day before committing.
Best Rooms for Downy
Sherwin Williams recommends Downy for: whole house, bedroom, hallway, bathroom.
Downy is versatile enough to use as a whole-house color, providing a consistent, cohesive look as you move from room to room. Whole-house colors need to work in multiple lighting conditions and alongside various furnishings, which is why a balanced LRV (78) and manageable undertones are essential. Downy handles this well.
Closest Matches in Other Brands
Find the closest equivalent to Sherwin Williams Downy from other paint brands. Matches are calculated using Delta E (CIE2000), the industry standard for measuring perceptual color difference.
Benjamin Moore Matches
Behr Matches
Frequently Asked Questions
We are still researching the best Sherwin Williams match for this color. Check back soon for updated match data.
Downy has warm soft cream undertones. A warm, soft off-white. Gentler than Alabaster. Undertones become most visible when the color is on a large surface like a wall, and they shift depending on the light source in your room. Always test with a physical sample in your specific space to see how the undertones interact with your lighting, flooring, and furnishings.
Downy (SW 7002) has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 78, which puts it in the light range. LRV measures the percentage of light a color reflects on a scale from 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white). At 78, this is a light color that will keep rooms feeling bright and open.
Downy leans warm. The warm soft cream undertones give it a cozy, inviting quality. It pairs naturally with other warm elements like wood tones, brass hardware, and cream textiles. In north-facing rooms, the warmth is especially welcoming.
Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.