Deep Maroon
What Deep Maroon Actually Looks Like
Deep Maroon SW 0072 reads as a full, saturated burgundy wine on the wall. In bright, direct light you see its genuine depth: a layered red-brown with just enough violet lean to give it complexity and keep it from collapsing into plain brown. That subtle purple quality is what separates it from a straightforward earthy red and gives it the timeless, refined character it is known for.
With its LRV of 6.6, this color sits firmly in dark territory. In low light or north-facing rooms, it can read close to black, losing most of its warm red personality and simply appearing as a very deep, moody neutral. Turn the lights up or let direct sun hit it, and the wine tone emerges clearly. This means the color lives in two very different moods depending on conditions, which is part of its appeal but also something to plan around.
On a large wall the effect is grounding and enveloping rather than harsh or aggressive. Reviewers consistently describe it as inviting, noting that it pulls a room inward in a way that feels cozy and deliberate rather than oppressive. Small applications, like a powder room or a single accent wall, concentrate that richness in a way that reads especially well.
Deep Maroon Undertones
The undertone picture for Deep Maroon is genuinely layered, and reviewers do not all land in the same place. The dominant read is warm: a deep, earthy red-brown that roots it in the historic burgundy tradition. Most people who sample it on a wall describe it as a rich wine red with brown warmth underneath, closer to a Bordeaux than a true crimson.
Where it gets more nuanced is the violet or purple lean. A meaningful number of reviewers specifically call out a subtle purple quality, and at least one describes it as having just enough purple to keep it from reading brown. That is not the same as calling it a purple paint. It is more that the violet register prevents the earthy brown from dominating and gives the color its depth. Others, particularly in warmer light environments with incandescent bulbs, see almost no purple at all and read it primarily as a warm, red-adjacent brown.
The practical takeaway is that lighting temperature and wall orientation will tip the undertone reading noticeably. Cool daylight or LED bulbs will pull out whatever violet is present. Warm incandescent or amber lighting will suppress it and push the color toward a pure red-brown. Because the LRV is only 6.6, these shifts happen quickly and can look like different colors in the same room at different times of day. Sampling on your specific wall under your specific lighting is not optional with a color this dark.
Where Deep Maroon Works Best
Deep Maroon is rated for interior use only, and the research is consistent about where it works best. Dining rooms are the most commonly cited application. The color creates an intimate, enclosing atmosphere that suits longer meals and candlelit evenings, and the warm red-brown undertone plays well against wood furniture, linen textiles, and warm metal hardware in brass or bronze.
Powder rooms and small bathrooms are another strong fit. The limited square footage means you are not committing an entire house to a very dark color, and the concentrated drama works in your favor in a space where people spend only a few minutes. Studies, home libraries, and reading rooms are also frequently mentioned: the color is grounding rather than stimulating, which supports focused or relaxed use better than a brighter red would.
On front doors and cabinetry, Deep Maroon performs well as a saturated accent that reads as sophisticated rather than trendy. Kitchen island cabinetry in particular gets positive mentions, where it contrasts with lighter perimeter cabinets or countertops. Keep in mind that because this is listed as an interior product, you will want to confirm with Sherwin-Williams before using it on an exterior door, even though the color visually suits that application. North-facing or low-light rooms are the most challenging placement: the color will read very dark, close to black, for most of the day, so balance it with deliberate lighting and lighter furnishings if you go that route.
Where to put Deep Maroon
This is where Deep Maroon earns its reputation. The dark, enveloping tone tightens the room around the table and makes candlelight glow warmer against the walls. Pair it with a warm wood table and brass fixtures to bring out the red-brown rather than the violet register.
A small footprint removes the risk of feeling overwhelmed by the LRV 6.6 depth. The result is an intentional, memorable moment that visitors notice. Light the space with warm bulbs to keep the undertone reading as rich wine rather than near-black.
The color's grounding quality makes it well suited to rooms meant for focus or reading. It absorbs rather than reflects, which keeps the atmosphere quiet. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves with warm wood and a reading lamp let the color recede into the background in a useful way.
Deep Maroon on an island with lighter perimeter cabinets creates a strong focal contrast that reads as deliberate and sophisticated. Warm brass hardware amplifies the red-brown and prevents the color from reading cold. Keep the countertop in a warm cream, stone, or wood tone to hold the palette together.
The saturated wine tone stands out against most brick, stone, and siding colors without looking trendy. Verify that the interior formula works for your door's sun and moisture exposure before committing, since this product is listed as interior. In protected entryways it is a strong choice.
What to Pair With Deep Maroon
Because Deep Maroon sits at LRV 6.6, it needs partners with meaningfully higher reflectivity to avoid making a space feel heavy throughout. Sherwin-Williams coordinates it with two warm neutrals that do exactly that. Gossamer Veil SW 9165 is a soft, warm greige with enough lightness to act as a true relief color on trim, ceilings, or adjacent walls without creating a stark contrast. It keeps the palette warm and cohesive. Studio Clay SW 9172 brings a muted, dusty taupe quality that sits a step warmer and earthier than Gossamer Veil, pulling the brown undertone in Deep Maroon forward in a way that feels grounded and collected.
Beyond those two anchors, the color pairs naturally with warm brass and aged bronze metals, natural wood tones from medium to dark walnut, cream and off-white textiles, and stone surfaces in warm beige or travertine. Avoid pairing it with cool blue-grays or bright whites: the contrast tends to make the purple undertone jump in ways that can feel mismatched rather than intentional.
Deep Maroon vs similar colors
All comparisons are matched against Deep Maroon at LRV 6.6.
Colors that clash with Deep Maroon
Cool-toned neighbors pull the violet undertone in Deep Maroon forward hard, making the pairing feel unresolved rather than intentional. The contrast reads as accidental rather than designed.
A stark, cool white against LRV 6.6 creates jarring contrast that emphasizes the purple edge of the undertone and makes the color look harsher than it is. It strips away the cozy, refined quality the color is known for.
At LRV 6.6, a flat finish in a dim room absorbs almost all available light and the color reads as near-black with no warmth or complexity visible. The richness that makes the color worth using simply disappears.
Common questions
It is a deep, complex burgundy that reads as a rich wine red with earthy brown warmth and a subtle violet quality that keeps it from looking flat. At LRV 6.6 it sits firmly in dark-color territory and can read close to black in low light.
The LRV is 6.6, which places it among the darkest colors in the Sherwin-Williams line. Plan on robust lighting and lighter-toned partners to prevent the space from feeling heavy.
The Sherwin-Williams code is SW 0072. The hex value is #623F45 and the RGB is 98, 63, 69.
Most reviewers read it as a warm red-brown, rooted in earthy, wine-adjacent depth. A notable group also identifies a subtle violet or purple lean that prevents the brown from dominating. The undertone you see most depends on your lighting: cool daylight or LED bulbs tend to bring out the violet, while warm incandescent light pushes it toward pure red-brown.
Sherwin-Williams coordinates it with Gossamer Veil SW 9165, a soft warm greige, and Studio Clay SW 9172, a muted dusty taupe. Both keep the palette warm and prevent the contrast from feeling stark. Warm brass and bronze metals, medium to dark wood tones, and cream or off-white textiles all work well. Avoid cool grays and bright whites.
Deep Maroon is listed as an interior product, so confirm with Sherwin-Williams before using it on a fully exposed exterior surface. For protected front doors and interior cabinetry, especially kitchen islands, it performs well. The saturated wine tone on an island or a door reads as deliberate and sophisticated, particularly with warm brass hardware.