Cascades is a very deep, dark green that reads closer to teal or turquoise in real rooms than the chip implies. Its LRV of 4.2 puts it near the bottom of the light-reflectance scale, so in anything less than strong natural light it can edge toward near-black. The richness is the point. This is not a color that blends in or plays a supporting role.
On the wall, the jewel-like quality comes from that blue lift in the undertone. It stays fresh and alive rather than heavy or muddy, which separates it from mossier, earthier greens in the same dark range. In direct sun or bright east light, the teal facet becomes more obvious and the color opens up slightly, though it never reads as mid-tone. In dim or north-facing rooms it collapses into a dramatic near-black with a cool green edge.
The finish you choose amplifies or restrains the drama. Flat or matte keeps it moody and absorptive. Satin and semi-gloss, especially on cabinets or a front door, add a lacquer-like depth that makes the color look intentional and high-impact rather than simply dark.
The color files as green with natural undertones, and that is accurate as far as it goes. But a meaningful number of reviewers push further and call it teal, a few even use turquoise, because the blue influence is more pronounced on the wall than a green classification suggests. It carries a moderate cyan quality that gives it energy and keeps it from sitting in purely naturalistic green territory.
Whether you read it as a deep forest green or a dark teal depends significantly on your light source and what surrounds it. Warm incandescent or amber lighting suppresses the blue and pulls the green forward, making it feel more organic. Cooler LED or daylight bulbs let the blue-teal quality surface. Pair it with warm wood tones and the green reads more dominant. Next to clean whites or cool gray trim, the teal comes out clearly.
Reviewers do not all agree on where it lands, and that honest disagreement is part of working with Cascades. It is not a simple, predictable green. If you want a dark green that stays firmly in earthy or sage territory, this may read cooler and more aquatic than you expect. If you want something at the precise crossroads of deep green and moody teal, that instability is exactly what makes it compelling. Sample it in your actual room, with your actual light, before committing.
Cascades fits best in spaces where you want the color to define the entire atmosphere. Bedrooms are a natural landing spot. The near-black depth at low light levels makes the room feel like a genuine retreat at night, and during the day the teal-green quality adds enough life that the space does not feel oppressive. It reads calm and grounding rather than heavy when the rest of the room is kept relatively simple.
Small rooms punch well with this color. Powder rooms and small bathrooms take on a spa-like, enclosing quality that feels intentional rather than cramped. An accent wall behind a fireplace, in a dining nook, or in an entryway gives you concentrated drama without asking every surface to hold that weight. Living rooms with a single feature wall in Cascades work especially well when the remaining walls are a soft clean white, which the coordinating Extra White handles directly.
On exteriors the color holds its own in both traditional and contemporary contexts. It reads as a refined, moody classic on older architecture and as sharp and modern on clean-lined facades. Front doors, shutters, and full exterior applications are all cited as strong uses. South- and west-facing exposures will let the teal quality breathe. North-facing exteriors will push it darker and cooler, which can still be dramatic but merits sampling first.
Cascades at LRV 4.2 turns a bedroom into a low-light cocoon that genuinely aids sleep. Keep bedding and soft goods in warm neutrals or natural linen tones to balance the cool depth of the walls. The teal facet keeps the room feeling clean rather than cave-like.
A single wall in Cascades behind a fireplace or headboard delivers drama with a clear boundary. The surrounding walls in Extra White give the dark color room to breathe and prevent the space from reading gloomy. This approach works in living rooms, dining rooms, and entryways alike.
On a front door or full exterior, Cascades holds up across seasons, reading sophisticated on traditional homes and assertive on modern ones. It pairs naturally with natural wood accents, warm stone, and black hardware. South-facing facades will catch the teal quality most clearly.
Small, windowless, or low-light powder rooms are exactly where a color like this makes sense. The enveloping depth creates a spa-like atmosphere and the low LRV is not a liability when you are committing to the effect intentionally. A mirror and good lighting amplify the jewel-like quality.
On bold kitchen cabinets Cascades in a satin or semi-gloss finish takes on a lacquer-like richness that is a serious alternative to navy. Pair with brass or unlacquered bronze hardware to pull the green quality forward, or choose matte black hardware to keep the palette cool and modern.
The coordinating palette leans into contrast and warmth, which is the right instinct with a color this dark. Extra White (SW 7006) is the anchor pairing: a crisp, bright white that gives Cascades a clean edge and keeps the overall effect from feeling consumed by darkness. It works on trim, ceilings, and adjacent walls with equal reliability.
For those who want warmth in the palette, Oak Creek adds an organic, earthy note that pulls the green quality forward and grounds the room in natural tones. Hearty Orange pushes harder into contrast territory, a bold complement that plays on the color-wheel relationship between deep teal-green and a warm, saturated orange. Used in textiles, artwork, or accent objects rather than on additional walls, it gives the room energy without competing with Cascades for dominance.
All comparisons are matched against Cascades at LRV 4.2.
Gray trim with blue or purple undertones amplifies the cool, teal-blue quality of Cascades until the two colors compete rather than coordinate, making the palette feel unsettled rather than intentional.
High-kelvin LEDs or cool daylight bulbs push the blue facet in Cascades to the foreground and can make the color feel stark and wintry, losing the organic green quality that balances it.
Highly orange-toned woods, like unfinished or lightly finished pine, can clash with the cool blue-green in Cascades because the warm and cool contrast is abrupt rather than complementary.
Cascades SW 7623 is a very deep, dark green with a strong teal lean. Its LRV of 4.2 places it near the bottom of the reflectance scale, so it reads as a near-black with jewel-like depth in most interior conditions. Think of it as the intersection of dark forest green and moody teal rather than a single straightforward hue.
Sherwin-Williams categorizes Cascades as green with natural undertones, but independent reviewers consistently note a prominent blue-teal quality on the wall. The color carries a moderate cyan influence that becomes more apparent under cool or daylight lighting and when paired with clean white trim. Whether you read it as a dark green with blue pull or a deep teal with green roots depends on your light source and surrounding materials, so sampling in your own space is strongly recommended.
Cascades reads cool. The blue-teal component in its undertone gives it an aquatic, slightly jewel-like quality that pulls away from warm earthy or naturalistic green territory. Warm incandescent lighting can suppress the coolness somewhat and bring the green quality forward, but it does not fundamentally shift the color into warm range.
The precise LRV of Cascades SW 7623 is 4.2. That is very low, meaning the color reflects very little light and will read significantly darker in person than it appears as a small chip. In rooms with limited natural light it can approach near-black, so plan your lighting and sample carefully before committing.
The Sherwin-Williams code is SW 7623. The hex value is #273E3E and the RGB values are 39, 62, 62.
The coordinating palette centers on strong contrast and warmth. Extra White (SW 7006) is the go-to pairing on trim, ceilings, and adjacent walls. For warmth, Oak Creek adds an earthy, organic note that pulls the green quality in Cascades forward. Hearty Orange provides a bold complementary contrast, best used in textiles or accent objects rather than on additional painted surfaces. Natural wood tones, brass and bronze hardware, and warm neutral textiles all work well with the cool depth of this color.
Yes to all three. On exteriors Cascades works on front doors, shutters, and full-house applications, reading sophisticated on traditional architecture and assertive on modern facades. It is included in the Sherwin-Williams best-for list for dramatic exterior color. On kitchen cabinets in a satin or semi-gloss finish, the color takes on a lacquer-like richness that is a strong alternative to dark navy. Brass, bronze, or matte black hardware all pair well depending on how warm or cool you want the overall result.
No. Sage greens are typically soft, gray-muted, mid-tone colors with LRV values well above 20. Cascades at LRV 4.2 is dramatically darker, richer, and cooler, with a blue-teal quality that sage greens do not carry. If you are looking for a true sage in the Sherwin-Williams line, Cascades will likely read very different from your expectation.
