Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy

Soft and elegant, Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy is a popular cool-toned neutral gracing the homes of design lovers everywhere (including my own)!

While technically a bright white, Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy (SW 6231) has major morphing power, transforming from off-white to pastel blue to pale gray depending on the light. 

The results are a sweet and soothing shade that looks even more stunning in person.

I’m definitely a fan of SW Rock Candy. So much so that I even used it as a bedroom color in my last home. It gave a calm, serene quality to the space that was absolutely perfect for relaxation and promoting a good night’s sleep. 

While I no longer live in that space, I have always really loved the color, as it gives your walls a fresh and clean appeal.

Wondering if Rock Candy is right for your space? Well, we’re going to find out! In this post, I’m doing a deep dive into this special blue-white shade.

We’ll take a deep dive and dig into undertones, LRV, complementary colors, and similar paint colors. In other words, this post has everything you’ll need to determine if Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy is right for your home!

What Color is Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy?

Rock Candy by Sherwin-Williams is a bright white paint with a heavy influence of cool blue. And despite its brightness, it’s still incredibly calming, thanks to the punch of blue. 

While Sherwin-Williams considers Rock Candy as white paint, I would categorize it differently. To me, it’s more of a light blue. 

Depending on the space you use it in, this color can transform from white to gray to blue. If your room has north-facing windows, like mine did, the color will look a lot deeper and more true to a gray-blue. 

In brightly lit, south-facing rooms, the ample natural light will make the paint look quite white. 

If you want to know how the color will present in your space, I highly recommend doing a paint swatch. This is an essential step in how to choose paint colors.

While it may seem tedious, it’s the only way to know how the color will look in your home. Don’t skip it!

Undertones

Beyond first impressions, high-quality paint usually has a lot more going on under the surface. By that, I’m referring to the undertones. 

Undertones are important to recognize when choosing paint as they will affect your furniture choices, coordinating colors, and the overall mood of your room. 

Ranging from warm to neutral to cool, undertones have the power to make a room feel cozy, clean, welcoming, or sterile, all existing within similar shades of the same color.

The warmer the color, the more yellow or red undertones are present. Heavy blue undertones alert us to a cool color. And finally, neutral undertones have a good mix. 

Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy has a cool-blue undertone for a decidedly cool-toned paint. Because it’s so cool-toned, it looks naturally peaceful, evoking seaside vibes. 

Some fear cool-toned colors in their home, fearing it will appear severe. But when paired with the right coordinating colors, cool-toned paint can look both relaxed and intimate. 

LRV

LRV, or light reflectance value, can also have a big impact on paint color. This scale measures the amount of light that is absorbed or reflected off of a color. 

The scale ranges from 1 – 100. A 100 on the scale is a pure white, while a 0 is the darkest black possible. The higher the LRV, the more reflective a color is and the lighter it will appear.

Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy rings in at a LRV of 75, meaning it’s an off-white that reflects an ample amount of light. This score also indicates its visible blue and gray influence, keeping it from being a true white. 

This score makes the color a good choice for any room, no matter the direction it is facing. 

In my last house, I used this color in a room that faced northwest. It received minimal light before evening, but because of its high LRV, the color appeared clean and bright all day long!

Where to Use

Because this shade is so neutral, it would look great in a variety of spaces. 

A light, off-white like Rock Candy can add a ton of value to dark-lit rooms, tight spaces, and basements. Its bright color and high LRV can make your space look bigger, more open, and more inviting. 

I love the color in minimalist designs as it’s neutral enough to suit the style while adding a softer look than stark white. 

Light blues are also amazing in tranquil spaces, promoting relaxation and helping soothe your mind. For this reason, Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy would work great in a bedroom or even a child’s nursery.

In my last home, I used the paint in my primary bedroom, serving as a base for my bedroom gallery wall. 

Lastly, this shade would look wonderful in a bathroom or powder room. Cool-toned, clean paint colors are always a welcome addition to these spaces!

Complementary Colors

This bright, cool-toned white looks wonderful with other cool-toned paints for a seamless, cohesive appeal. 

My paint recommendations: 

To play on the strong blue undertones, use Rock Candy along with definitive blues, from cornflower to true navy. Try Sherwin-Williams Blue Horizon or Sherwin-Williams Naval for a sea-worthy effect!

In the cool-toned family, grays are another obvious pairing. Soft silvers and gunmetal grays provide a tranquil, somewhat serious effect. For this, I recommend Sherwin-Williams Comfort Grey, Sherwin-Williams Intellectual Gray, or Sherwin-Williams Still Water. 

For a minimalist design, pairing Sherwin-Williams Rocky Candy with a clearer, brighter white will make your space look extra open! Try Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, or Sherwin-Williams Extra White. 

Finally, for a touch of warmth, a soft green shade like Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt would pair beautifully. 

Sherwin-Williams recommends:

Sherwin-Williams suggests similar sea-inspired shades to pair with Rock Candy. These recommendations include:

• Pure White SW 7005 – bright white with a slight yellow undertone for a warmth.
• Dustblu SW 9161 – cool gray with a relaxing and neutral cyan undertone.
• In the Navy SW 9178 – cool navy blue that appears dignified and classic.

Decor color ideas:

Because this shade is so definitely cool-toned, it can look a little bit stark with white light. I recommend mixing it with different warm-toned furnishings and textured accents to keep the space from looking sterile. 

When using it as a base for my bedroom gallery wall, I paired it with a cool white trim and several frames varying from gold metallic to white to wood. This variety adds both visual interest and comfort.

When choosing the coordinating decor for this paint color, avoid relying on harsh, cool-toned furniture like black, white, and slate gray. Instead, focus on warm accents, wood, wicker, metallics, and textured furnishings. 

Colors similar to Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy

Sometimes, a color is almost perfect for your space, but it just needs a couple of tweaks to feel right at home. 

If that’s your opinion of Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy, never fear! You have several options ranging from tiny swaps in undertones to shade changes with similar moods. 

Similar Sherwin-Williams colors include:

• Rhinestone SW 7656 – This shade is grayer, softer, and a touch darker.
• Site White SW 7070 – This off-white has slight green undertones.
• Reflection SW 7661 – A pensive cool-toned blue-gray neutral that is darker than Rock Candy.
• Misty SW 6232 – Soft blue-gray with slate-gray undertones and a lower LRV. 
• Mountain Air SW 6224 – A blue-green pastel paint that is distinctly greener than Rock Candy. 
• Olympus White SW 6253 – A crisp white with blue-gray undertones that is slightly darker and grayer. 
• Icicle SW 6238 – This shade has a slightly lower LV with more distinct purple undertones. 
• Topsail SW 6217 – A sky-blue pastel paint that looks bluer and less neutral. 
• Rainwashed SW 6221– A light blue-green that has a similar serene effect though it is much greener. 

If you’re a die-hard Benjamin Moore fan, you can get a similar effect to Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy with any of these paint colors:

• Palladian Blue BM HC-144 – A soft pastel blue with a darker, more vintage appeal. 
• Woodlawn Blue BM HC-147 – A wash of light blue with slight green influences. 
• Glass Slipper BM – A pale powder blue. 
• Marilyn’s Dress BM 2125-60 – A light-washed blue-gray that is very close to Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy. 

Final Thoughts

Rock Candy is a truly special paint color and has much more depth than initially meets the eye. Its off-white base is truly only the tip of the iceberg!

I love colors like this because you can play up its undertones through complementary paint colors and decor, making the shade your own. While it’s not in my current home, Sherwin-Williams Rock Candy still has a big part of my heart. 

More Paint Colors You May Love

• Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Gray – the best “greige” shade 
• Farrow & Ball Pigeon No. 25 – neutral blue-gray with hints of green
• Sherwin-Williams Naval – the ultimate navy blue
• Sherwin-Williams Sage – my favorite green paint
• Sherwin-Williams Alabaster – fabulous creamy off-white color

So, what do you think? Do you love this “white-ish” light blue paint as much as I do, and could you see it in your own home? 

Let me know your thoughts on Rock Candy and how you’d use it in your space in the comments down below!

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