Surfer
SW 6946 · #01A4A5 · LRV 29 — cool blue-green tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Salamander6
- 2Hidden Gem14
- 3Surfer29
- 4Peacock Blue35
- 5Wythe Blue48
What Color Is Surfer, Really?
Surfer reads as a cool blue-green tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6946 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Surfer
Surfer is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Teals add character without shouting — good for a vanity, an island or a feature wall.
How Lighting Changes Surfer
Surfer sits in the mid-range at LRV 29, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its teal undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Surfer are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 6946 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Precious StoneM470-6 · Behr | 1.9 | 30 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Poseidon664 · Benjamin Moore | 2.4 | 31 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Exotic Sea5004-10B · Valspar | 3.9 | 28.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Grecian IslePPG1232-6 · PPG / Glidden | 3.8 | 29 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Grecian IslePPG1232-6 · Glidden | 3.8 | 29 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Peacock Teal133-6DB · Dutch Boy | 3.3 | 31 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Surfer within Sherwin-Williams's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #01A4A5 in HSL space. Pair Surfer with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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