Skip to Content

Sherwin Williams On The Rocks

Sharing is caring!

If you are looking for a beautiful light gray paint color that is almost neutral then Sherwin Williams On The Rocks might just be the choice for you! I have all the details on why this is such a popular paint color.

The top view of a paint can lid with On The Rocks in it on a white wood background.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.

What color is Sherwin Williams On The Rocks?

All gray colors have undertones, let’s keep that in mind. When it comes to On The Rocks, the undertones are more muted which keeps the color from pulling too hard one way or another.

Because of these more undemanding undertones On The Rocks is more of a true gray paint color. I mean…almost…about as close as you can get. It’s as clear as mud right?! Don’t worry, stick around and we will get into all the details.

What are the undertones of On The Rocks?

There is no true gray paint color, although On The Rocks comes close to it. This paint color has very muted undertones and this is why it’s almost neutral.

However, it does still have undertones. On The Rocks pulls a tad to the purple side, sometimes feeling a little blue. I tested it in my house and I saw more of the blue undertones but in some of the photos, you will see later the purple can be very strong depending on the light.

Is Sherwin Williams On The Rocks warm or cool?

Because of the muted undertones On The Rocks can pull both warm or cool, or neither! I know, clear as mud.

The thing is, this color is very subjective to the light as well as the other elements in the room. For example, if you have a north-facing room the color will lean a little cooler but it never feels icy. The warmth in the color keeps it a cozy cool.

On the other hand, if you have a south-facing room the color will be slightly warmer, but not nearly as warm as a greige would be.

a swatch of On the Rocks with text overlay.

What is the LRV of SW On The Rocks?

If you haven’t read my other posts then here is a quick refresher on LRV. It stands for light reflective value. It’s a scale from 0-100 with 0 being the darkest black and 100 being the brightest white. The higher the number the more light a color reflects.

The LRV of On The Rocks is 62 which makes it a light color while still having a decent depth of color for your space.

How to know if a paint color is right for you?

The best way to judge if a color is good for you then you will want to put a swatch on the wall and look at it over a few days. Look at it in different lights and decide if you really like it.

You can do this by getting a sample from the paint store and using a brush putting it up on the walls, but then you are left with a can that you can’t do anything with. Those samples are used with poor-quality paint and aren’t meant for use on your walls permanently.

I recommend going with Samplize. They are a company that will send you a 12X12 peel-and-stick swatch of a paint color that you can stick to the wall. When you are done just peel it off and throw it away.

It’s easy and much less messy!

How Lighting affects On The Rocks

Lighting probably has the biggest effect on how the undertones look in a paint color. Here is how lighting affects On The Rocks:

  • North-facing rooms tend to have a lot of cooler natural light coming through the windows. Therefore, the paint colors tend to look a little cooler and more washed out. On The Rocks definitely takes on its cooler undertones with a touch of purple or blue in these rooms.
  • South-facing rooms tend to have warm light coming in and therefore bring out the warmer undertones in a color. For On The Rocks the warm sunlight brings out the purple but in a warm way and really gives this room more depth of color.
  • East-facing rooms have the sunrise coming through and with it a warmth to start the day. This warm sunlight draws out the purple in On The Rocks but later in the day is the opposite, when the sun is on the other side of the house and the east side isn’t getting any direct light.
  • West-facing rooms have the opposite effect as the east-facing room. They tend to be cooler in the morning with little direct light while in the afternoon the warm sunsets bring out the warmth in colors. For On The Rocks the warm sunlight will bring out the purple undertones slightly.

What white trim color looks good with On The Rocks?

There are a couple of colors that I highly recommend you choose from as trim colors for On The Rocks. Sherwin Williams Highly Reflective White and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace are great bright white colors that will really set off On The Rocks.

If you want something a little softer then I suggest Sherwin Williams Pure White.

On The Rocks vs. Repose Gray

a side by side comparison of On The Rocks and Repose Gray.

Repose Gray is probably Sherwin Williams’s second most popular gray paint color. As you can see from this side by side they are very similar colors with Repose Gray being only slightly darker.

Repose Gray is considered a greige meaning it has beige as an undertone. This causes the color to be warm where On The Rocks is considered a cooler gray, almost neutral.

Order a sample of these paint colors from Samplize!

On The Rocks vs Agreeable Gray

a side by side comparison of On The Rocks and Agreeable Gray.

Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray is the most popular gray color Sherwin William has. As you can see from this side-by-side Agreeable Gray is much warmer than On The Rocks. Agreeable Gray has beige in it which makes it so warm.

If you are looking for a color that is more of a true gray then I suggest going with On The Rocks.

Order a sample of these paint colors from Samplize!

On The Rocks vs Big Chill

a side by side comparison of On The Rocks and Big Chill.

Both of these colors have an LRV of 62 so they will bounce around the same amount of light. They are very similar colors but Big Chill is slightly cooler.

Order a sample of these paint colors from Samplize!

On The Rocks vs Crushed Ice

a side by side comparison of On The Rocks and Crushed Ice.

Crushed Ice has an LRV of 66 which makes it a tad brighter than On The Rocks. I think you will also see that while they have similar undertones of purple and blue Crushed Ice also has some green in it. This green gives it a touch of a warmer feel.

Order a sample of these paint colors from Samplize!

Coordinating Colors

Honestly almost any color will look amazing with On The Rocks. Sherwin Williams suggests pairing it with Extra White, Greek Villa, and Almond Roca.

I also really love these colors and think they would look amazing with On The Rocks:

Order a sample of these paint colors from Samplize!

Sherwin Williams On The Rocks Whole Home Color Palette

Get this free whole home color palette for Sherwin Williams On The Rocks and you will also be part of the At Lane and High Community! You will receive weekly newsletters on new posts and you can unsubscribe anytime.

Sherwin Williams On The Rocks in Real Homes

A bathroom with white board and batten 2/3 the way up the walls and On The Rocks above that.
Source: Kylie M. Interiors

This bathroom doesn’t get a ton of natural light but by having the board and batten on the walls painted white it helps to keep the light bouncing around the room.

A nursery with On the Rocks on the walls, a white glider chair with a bright yellow poof and a gray and white striped rug.
Source: Project Nursery

This nursery receives ample natural light so you can see how the paint colors can look lighter and a little cooler.

A family room with On the Rocks on the walls, white furniture, a sisal rug and lots of windows.
Source: Z Design at Home

This gorgeous family room gets a lot of natural light as well so the paint color takes a back seat to the gorgeous furnishings.

A girls bedroom with a desk and chair and On The Rocks on the walls with a crystal and gold chandelier.
Source: My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

This little girls room is just adorable! I love how the paint color supports all the girlie accents and pastel colors.

An office with On The Rocks on The walls, blue and coral wall art, shelves with white and beige accessories and a dark stained table for a desk.
Source: Kelley Nan

I remember when Kelley redid her office and I am just in awe today as I was then. I love the paint color and how neutral it is. You really notice the artwork and the gorgeous built-ins. The table also stands out and anchors the room.

If you plan to do the painting yourself then I highly suggest you check out these other posts:

A paint swatch of On The Rocks with Text overlay.

As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.

I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.