Sherwin Williams Watery (Palette, Coordinating & Inspirations)

Sherwin Williams Watery (SW-6478) Paint Color Review

For us who love adding the coastal vibe to our homes, the question always remains: Which paint color should we use? Which color brings a calming and soothing hue to the room?

If you have been asking the above questions, now might be a good time to consider using Sherwin Williams Watery. For years, I have loved this paint color because it exhibits the appearance of ocean water. But don’t get me wrong—it goes beyond that to reveal a serenity that creates a space I always enjoy spending my time.

On my walls, Sherwin Williams Watery SW 6478 always gives off a crisp and relaxed look. It is tranquilizing and, at the same time, enchanting.

However, if you haven’t used this paint before and are considering it for the first time, you may have various questions. In this article, I will help you understand Watery deeply, looking at different topics like the amount of light the color reflects, its RGB, and more. Read on to learn more about Watery SW 6478.

What Color is Sherwin Williams Watery?

Manufacturer Sherwin Williams
LRV 57
RGB R: 180 G: 204 B: 201
Hex Value #B4CCC9
Color Collections Living Well, Teen Space, Precious Baby, Coastal Calm, 2015 Voyage

At heart, Sherwin Williams Watery is a blue color. However, the paint color also boasts some deep tinges of green that tend to show often. What’s interesting about Sherwin Williams Watery is that it is not too blue that it hogs the space—it is more of a laid-back blue paint color.

RGB of Sherwin Williams Watery

The RGB scale indicates the amount of red, green, and blue that make up a specific paint color. The scale starts at zero and terminates at 255. In the case of Watery SW 6478, the paint color combines red: 180, green: 204, and blue: 201.

Interestingly, although the paint color is blue at heart, the green shade is quite dominant—this can be seen on the RGB scale. For this reason, you may be able to view the green notes in most lighting conditions. Green is a soothing color for most people, especially when blended perfectly with blue.

LRV of Sherwin Williams Watery

The amount of light a specific paint color can reflect plays a crucial role in how it performs in a room. A paint color that reflects very minimal light will look dull in a dimly lit room. A very reflective paint color, on the other hand, may become washed out in an extremely bright room.

Interior designers use the LRV scale to determine the ability of a specific paint to reflect light. The light reflectance scale runs from 0 to 100. Interestingly, Sherwin Williams falls in the medium range, with its LRV of 57.

The color is not too reflective that it will get washed out in extreme light. However, in a dim room, the color may look quite bland.

Is Sherwin Williams Watery a Warm or Cool Color?

Sherwin Williams Watery is a cool color. However, Watery SW 6478 does more than cool your space—it creates a calm, soothing, and serene appeal that reflects the coastal vibes. The paint color also happens to be a great additive to a home with smaller rooms—the paint color creates an illusion that rooms are larger than they are.

Sherwin Williams Watery Undertones

Sherwin Williams Watery has one primary undertone—a green undertone. In some rooms, the blue and green in Sherwin Williams Watery appear balanced. This balanced appearance is one of the reasons some people may call Sherwin Williams Watery blue-green. However, blue almost always shines through more than the green undertone.

Sherwin Williams Watery Color Strip: Sherwin Williams Watery Color Comparisons

Sherwin Williams Watery Color Strip

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Sea Salt (SW 6204)

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Sea Salt (SW 6204)

Both Sherwin Williams Sea Salt and Watery share a lot of similarities. The two colors are considered coastal colors—they give off the blue ocean vibe with their mixture of blue and green tones. However, Sea Salt is quite different as it does feature a gray undertone, which Sherwin Williams Watery lacks.

Sea Salt is more reflective than Watery—it has an LRV of 64. The two colors have a 7% difference in their ability to reflect light. Interestingly, both colors are not light enough to hold their color in a dim room. However, neither Watery nor Sea Salt will wash out in a bright room.

See also  Sherwin Williams Alpaca (Palette, Coordinating & Inspirations)

Both Sherwin Williams Watery and Sea Salt are cool paint colors. For this reason, you may want to put these two colors in a warm room—their cool feel will help you balance the warmth in your space.

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Tidewater (SW 6477)

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Tidewater (SW 6477)

Sherwin Williams Tidewater is just one shade lighter than Watery. As you would expect for a lighter color, Tidewater reflects 8% more light than Watery with its LRV of 65.

As their names suggest—Tidewater and Watery—both colors have some sort of affiliation with the coastal region. They both bring a coastal vibe to the room with their blue appearance. The two colors carry an interestingly green undertone.

Both paint colors are cool, making them an ideal option for people living in warmer regions. The colors will balance the warmth in your room, leaving you sitting in a calm, relaxed space that is also serene and crisp.

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Tradewind (SW 6218)

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Tradewind (SW 6218)

Tradewind and Watery have a coastal vibe—they are both serene blue colors with a green tone that balances them out, keeping them from shouting too much. Both are cool colors—Tradewind and Watery will work in a warm room, bringing some balance into the space by ensuring that the warmth does not make your space uncomfortable.

Tradewind is lighter than Sherwin Williams Watery. Therefore, Sherwin Williams Tradewind does reflect more right—4% more, to be exact—with its LRV of 61.

However, both colors sit in the same range regarding the amount of light they will need to perform optimally. They become bland in a room with minimal light. However, the colors hold their ground in a brightly lit room and do not get washed out.

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Meander Blue (SW 6484)

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Meander Blue (SW 6484)

Sherwin Williams Meander Blue is a lighter coastal color. Compared to Watery, Meander Blue is more reflective, reflecting 66% of the light, about 9% more light than Watery. Both colors, however, still fall in the medium range regarding their reflectivity. While they will perform exceptionally well in a well light room, they may become bland in a poorly lit room.

Like Sherwin Williams Watery, Meander Blue is also a combination of blue and green tones. The two colors give off the feeling of a balanced look—that is, neither blue nor green seems to be taking a backfoot to give the other a chance to stand out.

They are both cool colors, meaning they can balance the warmth in a south-facing room. They may, however, get icy in a north-facing room.

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Rainwashed (SW 6211)

Sherwin Williams Watery vs. Rainwashed (SW 6211)

Sherwin Williams Rainwashed is yet another blue-green paint color. However, one thing that differentiates the two paint colors is that Rainswashed also comes with an added gray and has a green color that tends to be slightly dominant.

The gray tones in Rainwashed wash down the blue-green tone, making Rainwashed look less bright when you compare it to Watery. Interestingly, however, Rainwashed and Watery have the same LRV.

If you are planning to choose between Rainwashed and Watery, the decision will come down to whether your goal is a paint color that is greener and muted—in this case, Rainwashed—or a color that is bluer and brighter (Sherwin Williams Watery). Both colors are cool and will always work well in a warm, south-facing room.

Sherwin Williams Watery Palette

Coordinating Colors for Watery SW 6478

Coordinating Colors for Watery SW 6478

Regarding colors that go with Sherwin Williams Watery, you first have to consider whether you are going for a monochromatic look or your goal is to create a contrasting appearance. Below we will look at contrasting and monochromatic colors that go with Sherwin Williams Watery.

Sherwin Williams Glimmer (SW 6476)

Sherwin Williams Glimmer (SW 6476)

Glimmer is a perfect color for homeowners planning a monochromatic look. The paint color is about two tones lighter than Sherwin Williams Watery. Both colors, however, carry the same tones—you will find an exciting combination of green and blue in Glimmer and Watery.

Glimmer is more reflective, with an LRV of 78. In rooms where Sherwin Williams Watery would end up too dull, you will have Glimmer coming for the rescue—Glimmer will reflect enough light onto Watery, creating interest in dim rooms.

While Glimmer and Watery have blue-green tones, Glimmer has a third tone: gray. Both colors, however, remain cool—they do have the ability to balance the warmth in south-facing rooms. However, using them in a north-facing room can create a situation where you end up with a cold or icy room.

Sherwin Williams Shell White (SW 8917)

Sherwin Williams Shell White (SW 8917)

If you plan to implement a contrasting look in your home, you cannot go wrong by selecting Sherwin Williams Shell White. Shell White is an off-white paint color that reflects 83% of light.

The high LRV in Shell White makes it a perfect pairing color in a dull room. Shell White will reflect enough light on Watery, keeping the paint color from becoming bland.

In a bright room, however, Shell White becomes washed out, losing its hue and leaning on the grayscale side where it appears more white. However, when you pair it with Watery, you no longer have to worry about washing out—Watery will keep Shell White from washing out.

One more thing about pairing Shell White and Watery is that the two paint colors are complete opposites on the warmth/coolness scale. While Shell White is warm, Watery is cool, allowing you to create a balanced feel in your rooms.

See also  Sherwin-Williams Krypton (Palette, Coordinating & Inspirations)

Sherwin Williams Aged White (SW 9180)

Sherwin Williams Aged White (SW 9180)

If you do not like the high reflectivity that Shell White brings but still want to create a contrasting look, you may opt for Sherwin Williams Aged White. Aged White still sits in the off-white range and boasts an LRV of 74. However, unlike Shell White, Aged White is more resilient in bright light as it reflects 9% less light.

Combining Watery and Aged White is an excellent option for people planning to create a balanced feel in their room. Aged White is a warm color while Sherwin Williams Watery is a cool color—therefore, the two colors ensure the room is nice and cozy, and neither feels too hot nor icy.

Aged White creates a tremendous interest in dimly lit rooms. Aged White still reflects enough light to keep Watery from becoming boring or dull.

Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin (2139-50)

Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin (2139-50)

We have been focusing solely on Sherwin Williams. However, we should not forget that Benjamin Moore is another brand that produces unique colors that can go with Sherwin-Williams Watery. A good example is Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin, the perfect paint color for homeowners after the monochromatic look.

Silver Marlin is a simple, soft, and flexible color ideal for almost all home styles. It is a subtle color that boasts a blue-green tone with a soothing gray backdrop.

Both Silver Marlin and Sherwin Williams Watery have the same LRV of 57. Both colors are in the light-medium range—none reflects more light than the other. For this reason, you will need to avoid using the two in a dimly lit room—stick to using the two in a bright space for the best results.

Also, remember that the two colors are cool. Therefore, to avoid creating an icy feel in your space, use the two colors in a south-facing room where they will balance the warmth. The two colors could make a north-facing room feel icy.

Sherwin Williams Earl Gray (SW 7660)

Sherwin Williams Earl Gray (SW 7660)

Earl Gray is another color that allows you to implement a monochromatic look that is a little bit subtle. As its name suggests, Earl Gray is a Gray paint color. However, it has some interesting blue and green undertones that tend to pop in most lighting conditions.

Earl Gray, however, reflects 25% less light than Sherwin Williams Watery—it has an LRV of 32. Absorbing 68% of the light you throw at it, the paint color will become bland in a room with minimal light. Therefore, when pairing Sherwin Williams Earl Gray and Watery, the best thing to do is combine the two in a room with enough light.

These two colors are cool. Therefore, whenever I have paired them, I have always preferred doing so in a southern-facing room. The warmth in the southern-facing rooms helps me balance their coolness, ensuring that my environment does not turn icy.

Sherwin Williams Watery Complementary Color

Sherwin Williams Watery Complementary Color

Sometimes you may want to bring two very different paint colors together. In such a case, you will look for paint colors sitting on opposite sides of the color wheel—these are complementary colors.

Complementary colors, when mixed, cancel each other out, losing their hue and producing a grayscale paint color like black or White. They also have the most substantial contrast when painted side by side.

The paint color that meets these requirements for Sherwin Williams Watery has a hex value of #4B3336. Currently, the color does not have an official name. However, the color that closely matches the hex value is Old Burgundy.

What Trim Colors Go with Sherwin Williams Watery?

Regarding trims or decorations, Sherwin Williams Watery works well with neutrals, such as grays, blacks, creams, and whites. The paint color can also work well with lighter or darker blue-green colors, navy, and yellows. Below, I have outlined some options that have worked well on trims with Sherwin Williams Watery on the walls.

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White (SW 7757)

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White SW 7757

High Reflective White SW 7757 is Sherwin Williams’s most authentic white paint color. It comes with a light reflectance value of 93, the highest you will find in the Sherwin-Williams catalog. The high LRV makes the paint color stand out, making the decors or trims using the color extremely visible.

At heart, High Reflective White is a highly neutral white paint color. You will be hard-pressed to find any undertones in the paint color. Moreover, the paint color neither adds warmth nor cools down your room. Therefore, High Reflective White allows you to pair it with Watery in any room, as it does not affect the feel of the room.

High Reflective White, however, can work wonders in a dim light room. It can reflect enough light to make Sherwin Williams Watery more interesting.

Sherwin Williams Pure White (SW 7005)

Sherwin Williams Pure White SW 7005

Unlike High Reflective White, Sherwin Williams Pure White is a softer white paint color. While Pure White does look bright on trims, it is not as white as High Reflective White, thanks to its lower LRV of 84.

Unlike High Reflective White which is exceptionally neutral and has almost no undertones (the undertones are very hidden), Pure White has yellow and gray undertones. The yellow in the paint color tends to dominate, giving Pure White a cream appearance.

Pure White is a warm paint color. For this reason, you can use Sherwin Williams Pure White to balance the cool in Sherwin Williams Watery.

See also  Benjamin Moore Decorator's White OC-149: Paint Review

Sherwin Williams Watery Benjamin Moore Version

Sherwin Williams Watery Benjamin Moore Version

If you want to try the Benjamin Moore brand while maintaining the Sherwin Williams Watery look, your best option will be Benjamin Moore Heavenly Blue. Benjamin Moore Heavenly Blue and Sherwin Williams Watery are not 100% similar. However, they share a lot of similarities in appearance and characteristics.

On the RGB scale, Heavenly Blue combines red: 183, green: 204, and blue: 199. On the LRV scale, Heavenly Blue is exceptionally close to Watery, with an LRV of 56.47.

How Does Light Affect Sherwin Williams Watery?

North-facing rooms allow soft light to shine through. Therefore, Sherwin Williams Watery may look slightly darker if your room is north-facing.

South-facing rooms, on the other hand, allow more intense light to come through. This natural light, therefore, can make Sherwin Williams Watery appear brighter.

It is also worth noting that north-facing rooms also tend to allow cool light—therefore, these rooms may become icy when the cool light combines with the coolness in Sherwin Williams Watery. South-facing rooms, on the other hand, receive warm light—these rooms, therefore, may enjoy a balanced feel as their warmth balances the coolness in Sherwin Williams Watery.

Best Rooms to Paint Sherwin Williams Watery

Sherwin Williams Watery works in all rooms, especially where you want to implement a cool, coastal feel. Below, we will look at real-life pictures of different spaces where Sherwin Williams Watery has been used.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Kitchen

Sherwin Williams Watery in Kitchen01
Source: Danslelakehouse

The owner here paired the Sherwin Williams Watery with a grayish marble top, creating an impressively attractive look. The kitchen has white cabinets, a gray fridge, and blue-green utensils, all strategically combined to create a uniform look. The cool blue Watery paint color brings some coolness to a room that is usually warm and hot.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Kitchen02
Source: Pinterest

We have Sherwin Williams Watery sitting on the island and some cabinets in this kitchen. It is complemented by the seats featuring a darker shade of blue. The white surrounding cabinets and countertop make Watery pop out.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Kitchen03
Source: Decoist

The owner also uses the Sherwin Williams Watery on the walls, pairing it with a more blue option on the kitchen island. The kitchen island boasts a white countertop and is surrounded by white cabinets, all of which make it stand out positively. Watery on the walls in this kitchen gives a calm and chill vibe when cooking.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bedroom

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bedroom01
Source: Twitter

The owner has carefully trimmed this bedroom using darker blue and white paint. The white and blue are added to ensure everything looks balanced—neither color hogs all the attention in the room.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bedroom02
Source: Pinterest

As you would expect, Sherwin Williams Watery pairs nicely with white trimming in this bedroom. The light, however, seems a bit excessive—it makes Watery seem a little bit washed out. However, the bedroom owner has added a lovely duvet that adds warmth and more life to the entire room.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bedroom03
Source: Pinterest

This bedroom features an inviting Sherwin Williams Watery on the walls. The interior designer working on this bedroom paired Watery perfectly with white and brown trims. The white trims on the frames make the whole bedroom look different and extra attractive.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bathroom

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bathroom01
Source: Pinterest

As noted earlier, the amount of light in a room can affect the appearance of Sherwin Williams Watery. This bathroom is clear proof of this claim—the dim, soft light makes the green undertone come out more, making the bathroom appear slightly green. However, it is worth noting that Sherwin Williams Watery, in this case, pairs nicely with the white trims, giving the bathroom a sophisticated look.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bathroom02
Source: Pinterest

Things get more interesting when a bathroom is well-lit. Sherwin Williams Watery takes its natural appearance without having to take the green look. In this bathroom, Sherwin Williams Watery is trimmed nicely with white trims. Some green decors here and there also make the bathroom appear more lively.

Sherwin Williams Watery in Bathroom03
Source: Pinterest

This bathroom combines Sherwin Williams Watery and Sherwin Williams Pure White to create a look you wouldn’t be satisfied looking at just once. The brown decors—for example, on the mirror frame and the shelve—also add character to this particular room. From the bathroom look, however, natural light is insufficient to bring out Sherwin Williams Watery’s whole appearance.

Sherwin Williams Watery on Front Door

Sherwin Williams Watery on Front Door01
Source: Pinterest

As noted earlier, Sherwin Williams holds its ground even in bright light, making it an attractive color outdoors. In the above house, Sherwin Williams turns the front door into a beautiful work of art. On either side, the door has white on the walls, making Watery stand out even more.

Sherwin Williams Watery on Front Door02
Source: Pinterest

This is another exciting look created using Sherwin Williams Watery. The homeowner has the welcoming blue-green Watery on the front door. On both sides, there is attractive white paint. We cannot ignore the green plants that make the entire space livelier.

Sherwin Williams Watery on Front Door03
Source: Pinterest

This is another exciting use of Sherwin Williams Watery on a front door. On the floor is a mat with some green colors, which somehow match one of the tones in Sherwin Williams Watery, creating an exciting look.

Overview

Sherwin Williams Watery is an exciting color that puts a cool, chill and relaxing vibe in any space. The paint color brings the coastal vibe to your room, mimicking the appearance of water in an ocean.

Sherwin Williams Watery works both indoors and outdoors. The fact that it is not very reflective means that the excess light outdoors will not make it lose its character. Indoors, however, you will need to include excellent lighting to keep the light from getting dull.

Sherwin Williams Watery is quite versatile. The paint color works pairs perfectly with a wide range of options. However, regarding colors that go well with Sherwin Williams Watery, cream, white, darker blue-greens, and black neutral colors tend to generate the best results.

I hope this article has answered your questions about Sherwin Williams Watery. If there is a question I have missed, let me know in the comments. I will respond as soon as possible.

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Blacksburgbelle

Hello, my name is April and I'm the creator of blacksburgbelle.com. I'm passionate about colors and painting, and my website is dedicated to exploring the world of paint and color.

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