Sherwin Williams Grounded: Complete Color Review

Thinking about using a dark brown paint color in your home? Let’s take a look at Sherwin Williams Grounded and see if it’s the right fit for your space.

Dark brown paint colors are often overlooked, but I think they deserve a lot more attention.

A good dark brown can bring so much warmth and depth to a room. It feels rich without being too bold, cozy without feeling heavy.

I love using dark browns when I want a space to feel grounded and welcoming. They work beautifully in all kinds of homes. Whether your style is modern, farmhouse, or traditional, a rich brown can fit right in.

The trick is finding the right shade. Some dark browns can feel too dark or muddy, while others might lean too orange.

If you are thinking about adding a dark brown to your home, Sherwin Williams Grounded could be the one. It is a beautiful, modern take on a classic dark brown.

In this post, I'll cover undertones, coordinating colors, and how you can use Grounded to bring a rich, cozy style into your own space.

Grounded, Sherwin Williams, SW 6089

A dark, versatile brown, Grounded is both calming and sophisticated.

This deep, versatile shade caught my eye when Sherwin Williams named it part of their 2025 Color Capsule of the Year, a collection of nine modern, trending colors that are perfect for today’s homes.

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Grounded

Color Family

Grounded sits in the red family, which gives it that subtle warmth that keeps it from feeling flat or too heavy.

Light Reflectance Value

12

LRV (Light Reflectance Value) measures how much light a color reflects on a scale from 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white).

Grounded has an LRV of 12, meaning it’s definitely on the darker side.

Because its LRV is low, Grounded will look quite dark in spaces with little natural light. In brighter rooms, though, you’ll notice it feels a little lighter and more alive.

RGB Colors

R: 120 G: 91 B: 71

This just tells us how much red, green, and blue are mixed to create the final color. Grounded leans heavily on red, giving it those cozy, earthy vibes I find comforting.

Hex Code

#785B47

Undertones

Grounded leans into warm red undertones.

B
Being such a dark paint color, Grounded's appearance will not change much as lighting in a space changes.

In south-facing rooms with strong sunlight, Grounded will show a little warmer and softer.

In north-facing rooms, it’ll look a touch moodier and deeper, still beautiful, just a bit richer.

I always, always recommend swatching first. Wall colors can surprise you once the light shifts throughout the day.

Click here to get a removable peel-and-stick sample. It’ll save you so much second-guessing!

Best Uses

I love using deep colors like Grounded when I want a space to feel extra cozy and inviting.

Here are some of my favorite ways to work with it:

• Full room walls — Bedrooms, living rooms, and dens look amazing wrapped in a rich brown like this. You can even paint the trim and moldings the same color for a really sophisticated look.
• Creating a focal point, such as a fireplace
• Built-ins
• Kitchen cabinets
• Interior or exterior doors
• Home exterior
• Shutters
• Accent wall
• Furniture

Similar Colors

• Sherwin Williams Burnished Brandy
• Benjamin Moore Coconut Grove
• Behr Mission Brown
• Sherwin Williams Rookwood Brown
• Benjamin Moore Kona
• Behr Rich Walnut
• Sherwin Williams Coconut Husk

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Grounded

Coordinating Colors

Grounded is one of those dark, warm neutrals that play well with others.

I’ve found it looks especially beautiful alongside other warm tones like soft beiges, tans, lighter browns, creamy off-whites, and crisp whites.

Cool blues:

• Windy Blue
• Aleutian
• Dockside Blue
• Faded Flaxflower
• Sleepy Hollow

Light beiges:

• Simplify Beige
• Touch of Sand
• Lightweight Beige
• Sand Dollar
• Realist Beige

Warm whites:

• Modest White
• Nice White
• Everyday White
• Gauzy White
• Porcelain

Trim Colors

Because Grounded has those warm undertones, I really like pairing it with softer, creamier whites for trim. It keeps everything feeling cozy instead of stark.

Here are a few soft white trim colors I love with Grounded:

• Sherwin Williams Alabaster
• Benjamin Moore White Dove
• Behr Cameo White

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Grounded

FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions I get about Grounded:

What is Sherwin Williams 2025 Color of the Year?

Sherwin Williams named nine colors in its 2025 Color Capsule of the Year instead of naming a single color as 2025 Color of the Year.

The 12 colors include Grounded, Sunbleached, Chartreuse, Bosc Pear, White Snow, Rain Cloud, Clove, Malabar, and Mauve Finery.

Is Grounded a warm or cool paint color?

Grounded is definitely a warm paint color.

It’s a dark brown with warm red undertones, giving it that cozy, earthy vibe. If you want a space to feel grounded (no pun intended) and inviting, this color will get you there.

What trim color pairs with Sherwin Williams Grounded?

With its warm undertones, Grounded pairs well with soft white paint colors, such as Sherwin Williams Alabaster, Benjamin Moore White Dove or Behr Cameo White.

What's the difference: SW Grounded vs. Clove?

Sherwin Williams Grounded and Clove are both featured in its 2025 Color Capsule of the Year. While both colors are dark, they have some clear differences.

• Clove has a much lower LRV (5), making it extremely dark.
• Grounded has an LRV of 12, so it’s dark, but not quite as intense.

Also, Clove sits in the neutral color family, while Grounded leans red.

If you’re torn between the two, try swatching them side by side to see which one feels right in your space.

What's the difference: SW Grounded vs. Burnished Brandy?

Grounded and Burnished Brandy are really close, but not identical.

• Both have an LRV of 12, so they’re equally dark.
• Grounded is in the red color family.
• Burnished Brandy leans toward the yellow color family.

Burnished Brandy also feels a little bit more saturated, while Grounded comes off slightly more muted.

What's the difference: SW Grounded vs. Rookwood Brown?

These two are similar but with a few key differences.

• Grounded is a touch darker (LRV 12) than Rookwood Brown (LRV 14).
• Grounded has red undertones, while Rookwood Brown leans more orange.

I always suggest swatching both if you’re torn. Even small shifts in undertone can change how a color feels once it’s up on the walls.

Thanks for reading!