Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt review (SW 6204)

Is Sea Salt green, blue or gray?

Sea Salt (SW 6204) is a soft green-gray, and it is famous for changing with the light. Sherwin-Williams calls it a "cool, muted green with blue undertones". On a wall it can read as a pale green, a misty gray or, in cool light, almost blue-gray.

The measurements explain most of that. Its green–red value (a*) is −3.2, a clear lean toward green, much stronger than the faint green in grays like Repose Gray (−0.6). Its yellow–blue value (b*) is +3.4, a slight warmth, so on its own numbers Sea Salt is a gray-green rather than a blue. The blue look appears in cool, indirect light, which strips out the warm part and leaves the cool green reading as blue-gray. Our undertones guide explains why light does this.

Sea Salt LRV and light

Sea Salt has an LRV of 63.2: a light color that keeps rooms bright while still showing clear color on the wall.

Simulated from the manufacturer's color values. Always test a sample in your own light.

If you want the green to show, use it in south- or west-facing rooms. If you want a calmer blue-gray, a north-facing room will push it that way.

Best rooms for Sea Salt

Bathrooms

Sea Salt is one of the most popular bathroom colors because it reads clean and spa-like with white tile, white towels and chrome or brushed nickel fixtures. In a small bathroom with no window, warm bulbs keep it green; cool bulbs will make it look more blue-gray.

Bedrooms and living spaces

Its soft, muted color is calming without feeling cold, so it works in bedrooms and coastal-style living rooms, especially with natural wood, linen and rattan.

Kitchens and cabinets

On kitchen walls it pairs well with white cabinets; on cabinets themselves it gives a soft, light green with white counters and brass hardware.

Sea Salt is listed for exterior use as well, where sun makes it read lighter and grayer.

When to avoid Sea Salt

Avoid Sea Salt if you want a true neutral: it always reads as a color. It clashes with strongly yellow or orange woods and beige or cream tile, where its green-blue tone looks off. In a dark, north-facing room with little daylight it can lose its green and look dull blue-gray.

Sea Salt color strip

Sea Salt is the lightest color on its strip. One step deeper is Comfort Gray (SW 6205, LRV 53.8), then Oyster Bay, down to Pewter Green and Ripe Olive. The deeper greens make good partners for cabinets, doors or an accent wall.

Sea Salt hex code, RGB and LRV

Sea Salt is hex #CDD2CA, RGB 205, 210, 202 and LRV 63.233 in Sherwin-Williams' color record.

Sea Salt color palette and coordinating colors

Sherwin-Williams' coordinating colors for Sea Salt are two soft whites and a deep warm gray:

Sherwin-Williams suggests setting it off with white trim. Spare White and Fleur de Sel keep the palette soft; a brighter white such as Extra White gives crisper contrast. Summit Gray, or the deep greens on its own strip, ground the palette on doors and cabinets.

Colors similar to Sea Salt

Sea Spray and Pine Frost are Sea Salt's closest Sherwin-Williams neighbors. In Benjamin Moore, the nearest we measured is Gray Owl (ΔE 2.0), which is lighter and grayer, with less green.

ΔE is the CIEDE2000 color difference between the two manufacturer colors: around 1 is barely visible; 2–3 is visible when the chips sit side by side.

Sea Salt FAQs