Elemental PPG 1011-2

PPG Elemental (PPG1011-2) LRV and undertone

PPG Elemental (PPG1011-2) has an LRV of 66, placing it in the light range but below the brighter whites in this group. Light reflectance value measures how much visible light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for white. In a room, a lower LRV generally means less reflected light than a higher-LRV color, although the actual brightness also depends on windows, artificial lighting, and surrounding finishes. Elemental belongs to the gray color family and has a neutral undertone calculated from its Lab values.

Because the undertone is neutral, compare it with nearby warm and cool materials rather than assuming it will look the same in every room. North-facing daylight often makes warm surroundings appear less pronounced, while south-facing light tends to emphasize warmth. These general tendencies can affect the contrast between walls, trim, and furnishings. Test a sample beside the materials that will remain in the room.

PPG Elemental in other brands

Behr White Metal (N520-1) has a ΔE of 1.7, making it a very close match. Behr Light French Gray (720E-2) measures 2.6, which indicates a close but potentially visible difference. Valspar Modern Gray (8005-1A) has a ΔE of 3.1, and Valspar Gravity (4005-1B) measures 3.2. Both are close matches, although side-by-side samples may show clear differences.

Sherwin-Williams Nebulous White (SW 7063) has a ΔE of 3.3, while Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray (HC-170) measures 3.6. Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (OC-52) has a ΔE of 4.0, near the upper end of the close-match range. Sherwin-Williams Topsail (SW 6217), at 4.2, is only similar by measured color. ΔE 2000 describes the distance between measured colors; it does not guarantee an identical appearance across different lighting conditions or paint finishes.

Lighter and darker PPG alternatives

PPG Zen (PPG1040-1) has an LRV of 69, three points above Elemental, making it a slightly lighter option. Its ΔE of 3.6 indicates a close match with a visible difference possible. PPG Aria (PPG1001-2), with an LRV of 77, offers a larger increase in reflectance and belongs to the white family. These higher-LRV colors may suit rooms where more reflected light is desired.

For a darker alternative, PPG Whirlwind (PPG1013-3) has an LRV of 53, while PPG Whiskers (PPG1025-3) has an LRV of 60. Both reflect less light than Elemental. Whiskers also has a warm yellow undertone and belongs to the greige family, so the shift involves more than depth alone. Compare samples with trim and fixed finishes before selecting a wall color.

Before you buy, compare a physical sample with the swatch on PPG’s page for Elemental.