Additional information on Harmon’s use of colors in the design of office spaces by Jeffrey Kraskin, OD.

Harmon Gray Paint Formula

Product: Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint Interior Latex Satin Base: Extra White, A87W00151-16 or 650041361 — BAC colorant formula: B1 - Black 5/32 + 1/64 + 1/128 — R2 - Maroon 1/32 + 1/64 — Y3 - Deep Gold 34/32 + 1/128 — Alternate from ACE Hardware: Using flat wall acrylic paint - Ultra White 310 (tint base) Ingredient/Formula - B:0,16,0 - C:1,10,1 - R,0,8,0

The following is from Jeffrey Kraskin. It was an email response to a comment by Steve Ingersoll, OD in April of 2025

1) The color referred to as Harmon Gray has a specific pigment formulary that results in an extremely high LRV - Light Reflectance Value.  The LRV is similar to the typical white projection screen (not a polarized projection screen) which is close to 100.  As a reference many home theatre screens are Gray in color with less LRV than White because of more ambient lighting and will reduce the contrast and impact of the ambient light; a Matte White screen has less than 5% reflectivity; Pearlescent screen is 15% reflectivity; Silver screen is 30% reflectivity; and Glass Bead is 40% reflectivity.

2) The Sherwin Williams color mentioned -- Windrift Beige SW1087 is definitely NOT Harmon Gray.  Over the decades many optometrists seeing Harmon Gray have assumed that the color is just a "beige", but in reality beige paint is formulated by using a warm neutral base such as yellow ochre or burnt sienna and adding white to mute and make creamy.  Yes, there are variations using a white base and adding red and yellow to soften or simply adding a brown and yellow with a light blush of pink.  In any case, "Beige" is not Harmon Gray.  According to Sherwin Williams Windrift Beige SW1087 only has an LRV of 61.56 well below the light reflectivity of Harmon Gray.  One additional comment is that Harmon would never have wanted red or pink in the paint formula especially in a learning environment.  The color is not conducive to intellectual processing but more to relaxation and sleep. 

If you would like the Harmon Gray formula that we still have and use see the top of this page.

3) As for lighting - Darell Boyd Harmon utilized both natural light and only Warm White Florescent to achieve the desired lighting.  The Coordinated Classroom materials detail the placement of lighting and use of natural light for best visual and body function.  Harmon used directional glass block in some of his classroom designs to help guide the natural light throughout the day as the earth moved to help reduce the potential of casting shadows in the learning environment.  Should you have the chance to study the classroom layouts you will see that even the classroom desk are not arranged in neat rows but many times in curved patterns to reflect the sun's movement during the day.

4) There was another post suggesting a carpet color.  I am totally unaware of Harmon ever discussing a carpet color.  He did work with Armstrong Flooring and had specific coordinated vinyl floor tiles.

Robert A Kraskin, OD, my late father, while designing his office in 1959-1960 worked with Harmon.  The office was the only optometric office, that I am aware of, in which Darell Boyd Harmon had a direct hand in designing the room lighting layout, the wall paint, and the flooring.  I do recall the time when my father decided cleaning the vinyl tile flooring was a pain and decided to cover with a commercial grade carpeting.  Harmon did not have any suggestions or more directly he did not have any companies that he worked with that produced carpeting.  The carpeting was selected by using a light meter to determine the best light reflectivity that would be consistent with the original floor covering.  Throughout the use of that office until my retirement no projection screens were used except for polarization activities.  The wall was used in the examination room for projection because of the light reflectivity of Harmon Gray. 

One of the unique factors of Harmon Gray was that the walls will take on any hue of color used in the room along with impacts from other lighting sources.  For example,  should the room have incandescent lighting the space will have a different glow than the Warm White Florescent lighting; and if the room had a blue carpet that walls would take on a blue hue.  That is the "magic" of color and reflectivity.

The best present source for Harmon information can be found at the following link -- Darell Boyd Harmon Ph.D. Information

All the best... Jeffrey Kraskin, OD