Sherwin Williams Limewash SW 9589 sits in that well-traveled territory between white and greige. On the wall it reads as a soft, warm off-white with enough color in it to feel intentional rather than builder-basic, but light enough at LRV 66.9 to keep rooms open and airy. The hex is #DBD5CB, an RGB of 219, 213, 203, and those numbers tell you right away that the three channels are close together, which is why this color never shouts. It is quiet and even-tempered.
Light does most of the heavy lifting with this one. In full morning or afternoon sun it brightens noticeably, pulling toward a cleaner, crisper warm white that almost feels fresh. By evening, once artificial light takes over, it settles back into something warmer and cozier with more of the beige and greige coming forward. That range of behavior is a genuine asset in open floor plans where you need a single wall color to perform across different conditions and different times of day. The flip side is that in rooms with genuinely poor light, north-facing rooms especially, Limewash can flatten out and look a little lifeless. It rewards good light.
The primary undertone is warm beige, and most reviewers agree on that much. The disagreement is in the details. Some people read a subtle red or pink cast, particularly when the color is sampled next to a cooler white. Others describe it as a straight greige with no red at all, pointing instead to a soft taupe quality. Both observations are probably capturing real behavior at different times of day and under different light sources, because undertones shift as the color temperature of the light around them changes.
Under warm incandescent or soft LED light in the evening, the warmer, almost rosy side of Limewash becomes more visible. Under cooler daylight or overcast sky light, that warmth flattens and the greige reads more neutrally. If your room gets a lot of cool north light, some reviewers caution you may see a faint gray quality that was not apparent on the paint chip. If your space floods with warm south or west light, expect the beige to come forward more.
One thing reviewers broadly agree on is that Limewash does not read green or blue, which puts it in a safer category than many neutrals that carry surprise cool undertones. The beige and red-adjacent warmth, wherever you land on that debate, keeps it firmly on the warm side of the spectrum. Still, given how much undertone behavior depends on your specific room, a large sample on multiple walls tested across morning and evening is genuinely non-negotiable before you buy gallons.
Limewash is listed for living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms, and reviewers bear that out. Its LRV of 66.9 means it reflects a solid share of light, so it works particularly well in rooms that already get decent natural light, where it will feel bright and layered without going stark white. In living rooms and open-plan spaces it functions as a whole-house neutral, the kind of color that reads consistently as you move from room to room without ever feeling monotonous.
Bedrooms are a natural fit because the color shifts warmer and cozier under evening light, which is exactly what you want in a room you use at night. Kitchens benefit from its cleaner daytime read, and because it is not a true white it hides minor imperfections better than a high-LRV white would. In bathrooms it brings warmth without the yellow that many beige-adjacent colors carry, which reviewers appreciate in a room where flattering light matters.
Orientation and light quality are worth thinking about seriously here. South and west-facing rooms are the sweet spot. East-facing rooms work well in the morning but may feel cooler by afternoon. North-facing rooms are the real risk, since without warm light to pull out the beige undertone, Limewash can look flat and a little dull. If your project is a north-facing room, sample it carefully. Reviewers also note that this color suits transitional and organic modern interiors especially well, where warm neutrals anchor layered textures and natural materials without competing with them.
At LRV 66.9, Limewash keeps an open living room feeling light and spacious without the coldness of a true white. It shifts subtly warmer in the evening, which suits a gathering space. Pair it with Cracked Pepper (SW 9580) on a fireplace surround or shelving unit for a contrast that grounds the room.
Limewash earns its place in bedrooms because its beige warmth deepens under artificial evening light, creating a cozy atmosphere when you actually use the room most. It works with natural linen, warm wood, and muted terracotta accents. Avoid it in rooms with zero natural light during the day, where it may read flat.
In a well-lit kitchen, Limewash reads as a clean, warm off-white that is softer and more forgiving than a stark white. It suits both painted cabinetry and wall applications. Cabinet hardware in matte black or unlacquered brass both read well against the warm beige base.
Limewash brings warmth to a bathroom without the yellow cast that trips up many beige colors near white fixtures. Its LRV of 66.9 keeps the space feeling open even in a smaller bath. Pair it with warm white towels and natural stone or wood accessories to lean into the organic warmth.
Sherwin-Williams positions Limewash with three coordinating colors that cover most pairing needs. White Sand (SW 9582) works as a brighter trim and ceiling white that keeps the warmth in the family without going stark. Restoration (SW 9578) is a mid-tone greige that deepens the palette for an accent wall or cabinetry, adding weight without switching color families. Cracked Pepper (SW 9580) is the high-contrast option, a near-black that gives you grounding anchors like furniture, doors, or hardware.
Beyond those three, Limewash cooperates with almost any accent color because its warmth and neutrality give other colors room to breathe. Warm wood tones, natural linens, terracotta, muted sage, and dusty blue all layer well with it. Because the base is neither yellow nor green, it avoids the clashing problems that more saturated beiges can create with certain fabric and stone tones. The main rule reviewers emphasize is to keep accents either distinctly warm or distinctly cool rather than muddy in-between, since Limewash itself occupies that middle ground.
All comparisons are matched against Limewash at LRV 66.9.
Limewash's warm beige undertone can fight with furniture, rugs, or flooring that carries a true cool gray or blue-gray base. The two warmth registers pull against each other and both can look off rather than complementary.
Pairing Limewash walls with a stark, blue-white trim color heightens the warm undertone of Limewash and can make the wall color look unexpectedly pink or yellow by contrast, even if it looked neutral on its own.
Without warm light to activate its beige undertone, Limewash can read flat, dull, or even slightly gray in north-facing rooms that rely on cool natural light all day. The color loses the warmth that makes it appealing.
Limewash is a soft, warm greige neutral. It sits between off-white and light beige, with enough color to feel intentional but light enough at LRV 66.9 to keep rooms feeling open. Its hex is #DBD5CB and its RGB is 219, 213, 203.
The primary undertone is warm beige. Reviewers do not fully agree beyond that. Some see a subtle red or rosy quality, especially when sampling next to a cool white. Others read it as a straight greige with a taupe quality and no red. Both readings are real and depend heavily on your light conditions. Under warm evening light the beige and red-adjacent warmth comes forward. Under cool daylight it reads more neutrally. It does not carry green or blue undertones.
Limewash is a warm color. Its base undertone is warm beige and it sits in the warm and neutral color family. It does not read cool or gray under typical light conditions, though in north-facing rooms with purely cool natural light it can flatten and look less warm than expected.
The precise LRV is 66.9, placing it firmly in the light range. It reflects a solid portion of the light hitting it, which keeps rooms bright and spacious without reaching the high-reflectivity territory of a true white.
Sherwin-Williams coordinates Limewash with White Sand (SW 9582) as a warmer trim white, Restoration (SW 9578) as a mid-tone greige for depth, and Cracked Pepper (SW 9580) as a high-contrast near-black for anchoring. Beyond those, Limewash pairs well with warm wood tones, natural linens, muted sage, dusty blue, and terracotta. It is flexible enough to work with nearly any accent color as long as you avoid in-between muddy tones.
The Sherwin-Williams code is SW 9589. The hex is #DBD5CB. The RGB values are 219 red, 213 green, 203 blue. The LRV is 66.9.
No. This is a standard interior and exterior latex paint with a warm greige color. Actual limewash is a textured mineral-based coating made from crushed limestone that creates a mottled, layered appearance on walls. The name refers to the color, not the finish or formula. If you are looking for a limewash wall treatment, you need a separate product entirely.
