Intense Teal vs Really Teal paint color comparison

Intense Teal vs Really Teal

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. At LRV 14 vs 10, Intense Teal will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a cool quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 8.5, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Intense Teal vs Really Teal in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Intense Teal and Really Teal are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.

Living Room

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Intense Teal has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Intense TealA organic modern living room painted in Intense Teal

@mybudgetrecipes

Really TealSherwin Williams Really Teal Living Room

@main_street_homes

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Intense Teal gives the walls a little more lift.

Intense TealA art deco bedroom painted in Intense Teal

@mybudgetrecipes

Really TealSherwin Williams Really Teal Bedroom Ceiling

@taaron_s

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — Intense Teal gives the walls a little more lift.

Intense TealIntense Teal — contemporary kitchen

@mybudgetrecipes

Really TealSw Really Teal Kitchen

@highland.drive

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Intense Teal gives the walls a little more lift.

Intense TealIntense Teal — wabi-sabi bathroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Really TealSw 6489 Bathroom Vanity

@gloss_and_travel

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Intense Teal gives the walls a little more lift.

Intense TealIntense Teal color — scandinavian house inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

Really TealSw 6489 Exterior

@marymoxlin

Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Intense Teal has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Intense Tealtraditional front door featuring Intense Teal by Sherwin-Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Really TealSw Really Teal Door

@sharysunshine

Color Details

Intense Teal
Sherwin-Williams · 6943
LRV13.7
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6943
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Really Teal
Sherwin-Williams · 6489
LRV9.7
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6489
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Intense Teal vs Really Teal Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Intense Teal on one side and Really Teal on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.