Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea is a genuinely dark Blue from Sherwin-Williams. Our real-world data shows it is a primary choice when homeowners need to anchor a room without demanding the spotlight. Below, you'll find 10 examples of this shade in actual homes along with suggested color relationships.
Hex
#016081
LRV
9.22
Adriatic Sea's Color Strip
Adriatic Sea is the seventh shade on this 7-color strip, the deepest shade in this coordinated family. Strip 167 makes it easy to compare shades side by side and find the right depth for your space.
Adriatic Sea in Real Rooms
Adriatic Sea has a low LRV of 9.22 — it absorbs light and reads as a genuinely dark, enveloping color. It's neutral in temperature and , making it adaptable across different lighting conditions and room orientations. Grouped in the Blue family, the photos below show it applied in a bathroom, bedroom, home office, front door, dining room, mudroom, house, patio, living room and kitchen.
1 Bathroom Photo
In the bathroom, Adriatic Sea brings a spa-like intentionality to the space. It responds well to task lighting and natural light alike, and pairs beautifully with white fixtures, warm wood vanities, or brushed brass hardware for a polished, restful result.
Adriatic Sea — wabi-sabi bathroom
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1 Bedroom Photo
Adriatic Sea creates a bedroom that feels deliberately calm rather than accidentally plain. The color absorbs the first rays of morning light without bouncing them back harshly, which means waking up in this environment feels gentle and gradual. Keep the window treatments simple and let the walls do the heavy lifting.
A traditional bedroom painted in Adriatic Sea
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1 Home Office Photo
Adriatic Sea in a home office signals that the space was thought about. The color holds up under the scrutiny of video calls without feeling staged, and it stays comfortable across the full working day in a way that brighter colors often don't.
Sherwin-Williams Adriatic Sea in a industrial home office
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1 Front Door Photo
Choosing Adriatic Sea for your entry is an exercise in restraint and elegance. It suggests a home that is well-cared for and curated, setting a high bar for the interior design before the door is even opened.
cottagecore front door featuring Adriatic Sea by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Dining Room Photo
Pairing Adriatic Sea with a white ceiling and high white wainscoting creates a classic, high-contrast look that is perfect for a traditional dining space. It brings a sense of architectural rhythm and formality that is hard to achieve with lighter tones.
Adriatic Sea paint in a rustic modern dining room
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1 Mudroom Photo
Adriatic Sea is the perfect partner for durable flooring like slate, brick, or terracotta. It picks up the earthy tones in these materials, creating a mudroom that feels cohesive, rugged, and ready for whatever the weather brings in.
Adriatic Sea paint in a traditional mudroom
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1 House Photo
On a traditional or historic home, Adriatic Sea acts as a restorative force. It brings out the dignity of the original craftsmanship while making the structure feel relevant to the 21st century. It's a "new classic" in every sense.
Adriatic Sea color — maximalist house inspiration
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1 Patio Photo
The way Adriatic Sea interacts with fire—whether from a fire pit or outdoor torches—is magical. It catches the orange glow and creates a warm, flickering atmosphere that is perfect for late-night outdoor entertaining.
mediterranean patio featuring Adriatic Sea by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Living Room Photo
There is a specific "glow" that Adriatic Sea takes on during the golden hour in a living room. As the sun sets, the pigments react with the low-angled light to create a hazy, ethereal atmosphere that feels incredibly high-end. It's a color that rewards those who use the room during the transition of the day.
A hollywood regency living room painted in Adriatic Sea
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1 Kitchen Photo
Kitchens are often the noisiest rooms in the house; Adriatic Sea provides the visual equivalent of acoustic dampening. Its steady, calm presence helps lower the "volume" of the room, creating a more pleasant environment for cooking and conversation.
Adriatic Sea — contemporary kitchen
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Expert Perspectives
In-depth articles and real-home features from across our network of home and design sites.
Coordinating Colors
Bravo Blue reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 9), opening up a space where Adriatic Sea encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 9, Aesthetic White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 9, Felted Wool is decisively the brighter choice.
Trim Color
Bravo Blue reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 9), opening up a space where Adriatic Sea encloses it.
Similar Colors
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 10 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 11 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 9 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 9 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 9 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 9 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 9 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 10 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Complementary Colors
At LRV 29 vs 9, Coral Reef is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 9, Lei Flower is decisively the brighter choice.
Sumptuous Peach reflects far more light (LRV 54 vs 9), opening up a space where Adriatic Sea encloses it.
At LRV 76 vs 9, Organza is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 41 vs 9, Harvest Gold is decisively the brighter choice.
Raucous Orange reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 68 vs 9, Blushing is decisively the brighter choice.
Lighter Colors
A 9-point LRV gap (19 vs 9) makes Cruising the marginally brighter of the two.
Capri reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 9), opening up a space where Adriatic Sea encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Blue Mosque reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Resonant Blue reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 9), opening up a space where Adriatic Sea encloses it.
Darker Colors
A 4-point LRV gap (9 vs 5) makes Adriatic Sea the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 9 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV NaN vs NaN, Blue Grotto is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 9 and 8, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.