Tarragon
SW 9660 · #424E53 · LRV 7 — cool blue-green tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Tarragon7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Retreat21
What Color Is Tarragon, Really?
Tarragon reads as a cool blue-green tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 9660 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Tarragon
Tarragon earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Tarragon
At LRV 7, Tarragon is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Tarragon 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 9660 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 | ThermalS440-7 · Behr | 3.3 | 7 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Lead Gray2131-30 · Benjamin Moore | 0.6 | 7 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Slate Court5001-4C · Valspar | 1.9 | 7 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Black ForestPPG1012-7 · PPG / Glidden | 1.9 | 7 | Color page → |
| Glidden | ObsidianPPG1035-7 · Glidden | 0.7 | 8 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Shaded Forest427-7DB · Dutch Boy | 3.3 | 7 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Tarragon 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 #424E53 in HSL space. Pair Tarragon with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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