CoastalSouth-Facing

Freshwater

Sherwin-Williams · SW6774

The Analysis

Freshwater is a mid-tone teal that anchors a room without making it feel claustrophobic. With an LRV of 32.06, it absorbs a fair amount of light, which creates a cozy, enclosed feeling rather than making a space look larger or airier.

Due to its saturation, this functions best as a focused accent or an enveloping color for a smaller space like a home office or a powder room. It is too bold to act as a neutral backdrop for an entire open-concept home.

LRV 32

History & Origin

This is a distinctly modern choice that leans into contemporary saturated palettes. It lacks the muted, dusty qualities typical of period-specific historic paint colors.

Undertonecool
FamilyTeal

How to Use It

Pair this with light, natural oak wood tones to soften the blue-green intensity or matte black hardware for a sharp, high-contrast look. It is an excellent candidate for cabinetry or a dedicated feature wall in a bedroom.

The Mood

This color provides a balanced, steady presence that feels restorative. It is not high-energy, but rather grounded and focused, making it excellent for areas where you want to minimize visual noise.

Colour harmonies

Complementary

Opposite on the colour wheel — bold, high-contrast pairings. Use for a feature wall or furniture you want to command attention.

Analogous

Neighbouring hues — cohesive and calm, great for layered schemes that feel collected rather than matched.

Split complementary

Near-opposites for strong contrast with a little less tension than a pure complement. A favourite of interior designers.

Triadic

Three evenly spaced hues — balanced, vibrant, and versatile. Keep one dominant and use the others sparingly.

Tetradic (square)

Four hues in a square on the wheel — rich, dynamic palettes. Best when one colour leads and the others accent.

Monochromatic

Dark, mid, and light steps on the same hue — a failsafe gradient for trim, walls, and accents without shifting colour family.

Brand Matches

Perceptually similar colours from across all brands in our database.

  • Santa Clara

    Benjamin Moore · 753

  • Gone Fishing

    Valspar · 5004-8A

  • Explorer Blue

    Behr · M470-5

  • Baltimore Sky

    Benjamin Moore · 760

  • Blue Lagoon

    Benjamin Moore · 2054-40

  • Jamaica Bay

    Sherwin-Williams · SW6781

Lighting

See how this colour shifts across natural and artificial light conditions.

  • Natural