Looking for a colorful exterior palette that isn’t too dark or too light? The Sherwin-Williams Waterloo exterior paint color palette we’re sharing in this post could be for you.
Sherwin-Williams Waterloo is a gorgeous, jewel-toned blue-green paint color. While it looks dark on the swatch, Waterloo exterior paint looks surprisingly bright in the sunshine.
If you want a blue exterior paint color (Article) that won’t feel overly moody or too dark, the warm and friendly tones of Waterloo may work better than some of the other popular dark blue exterior paint colors, such as Sherwin-Williams Cyberspace or Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent.
Keep reading to learn more about Sherwin-Williams Waterloo exterior paint and get an in-depth look at a real-world project featuring this mid-toned blue.
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What Color Is SW Waterloo?
Waterloo is a mid-toned blue that looks dark and muted on the swatch or indoors. But it truly comes to life in the sunshine!
What is the Waterloo LRV
Waterloo has an LRV of 13, which makes it a fairly dark paint color. It’s got enough pigment, however, that it won’t risk looking black in place – especially in the sunshine outdoors.
What are the Waterloo undertones?
SW Waterloo has warm green undertones that are especially clear in the bright sun. As a result, Waterloo pairs well with other warm colors and finishes, such as red brick or warm gray stone.
Is Waterloo exterior paint a good idea?
Absolutely! Using SW Waterloo exterior paint is one of my favorite applications for this hue. It looks gorgeous with a bold, colorful front door paint, like SW Gambol Gold, SW Stolen Kiss or SW Mystic Grape. And it pairs especially well with black or dark blue shutters like SW Iron Ore (Article), SW Black Magic or SW Inkwell. Its warm green undertones also help Waterloo pair well with warm finishes like brick and stone.
Sample Sherwin-Williams Waterloo Exterior Paint
We always recommend that you test paint colors (Article) in your home because lighting can completely change a color, both on interiors and exteriors.
In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess.
Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples!
- Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
- Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
- Delivered overnight
- Colors are accurate
- Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
- No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of
I use these in my color consulting practice for exact results. Discover Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples and sample all your favorite exterior house colors via the link below.
Project Spotlight: SW Waterloo Cottage
The project we’re featuring today is a gorgeous cottage-style house with warm gray stone (Article). The homeowners originally came to us wanting a white color palette, but ended up choosing what I call our “Designer Wild Card” – a bonus color palette I put together based on the cottage feel of the home.
In the end, they went with a bold and colorful exterior painted with Sherwin-Williams Waterloo that was incredibly different from what they thought they wanted, but that truly brought their home to life!
With the warm blue siding and a pop of warm red from the front door, this Waterloo exterior palette completely transformed this home. You can see in the before photo how the home’s original light, low contrast palette (Article) did nothing to highlight the architectural details and stonework on the exterior.
Below, we’ll explore the full color palette in more detail.
Sherwin-Williams Waterloo Siding
Sherwin-Williams Waterloo (Sample) has an LRV of 13 and warm, green undertones. It’s a mid-toned blue that pairs really well with stone on this home.
We used Waterloo siding on all parts of the house and garage, except for a small sunroom at the back of the home (which you’ll see below), which was painted Pearly White. The color looked gorgeous among all of the natural greenery on this property.
Sherwin-Williams Pearly White Exterior Trim
For the exterior trim, we chose Sherwin-Williams Pearly White (Sample). It has an LRV of 77 and soft, invisible green undertones.
Pearly White (Article) is actually a very light version of beige, but the bright sun makes it look white outdoors.
On the front of the house, Pearly White garage doors and side entrance contrast wonderfully with the SW Waterloo siding. And at the back of the house, we painted the sunroom with Pearly White siding to help this beautiful feature stand out.
Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki Foundation
In addition to its warm stone finishes, this home featured a prominent cinder block foundation around the back of the house. We painted this with SW Universal Khaki (Sample) to better align it with the other warm colors in this palette.
Universal Khaki is a warm beige paint color with green undertones and an LRV of 41. Universal Khaki was the 2026 Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year (Article), but we’ve been fans of this hue for years and find ourselves using it at least once a week in our color consulting practice.
Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze Railings
We used SW Urbane Bronze (Sample) on the home’s metal railings. It provides enough contrast with the Waterloo siding without looking too dark on this otherwise warm palette.
SW Urbane Bronze (Article) is an iconic warm paint color with an LRV of 8. It’s not quite a brown and not quite a black. It is exactly as its name describes: a deep bronze color. Urbane Bronze pairs beautifully with warm stone and creamy whites and adds a gorgeous depth to this palette.
Sherwin-Williams Sierra Redwood Front Door
We use Sherwin-Williams Sierra Redwood (Sample) exterior paint more often than you might think. It’s one of our favorite exterior door colors (Article) and adds the perfect pop of color to this palette!
Sierra Redwood is a great color for when you want a red front door but don’t want anything too red – it’s a warm, rusty terracotta color that looks gorgeous outdoors.
Our clients even found the cutest matching mailbox for the front of their home! I love the way this decor ties everything together.
Sample This Color Palette:
- Sherwin-Williams Waterloo: Siding, downspouts over siding, cinder blocks
- Sherwin-Williams Pearly White: Fascia, soffits, gutters, downspouts, window trim, window frames/mullions, panels, door trim, garage trim, garage doors, vents, vent trims, lattice
- Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki: Cinder blocks, rectangular panels under bay windows in the back
- Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze: Metal entry handrail
- Sherwin-Williams Sierra Redwood: Exterior front door
Key Learning Points:
Sherwin-Williams Waterloo is a deep, warm blue paint color perfect for exterior projects and color palettes.
- SW Waterloo pairs well with red brick, warm stone, and other warm finishes like natural wood.
- Use a creamy white or light beige paint color for exterior trim in a Waterloo paint color palette to ensure it doesn’t look too stark in the sunshine.
- Try pairing a bold front door paint color with SW Waterloo siding, such as SW Sierra Redwood, SW Gambol Gold, or SW Mystic Grape.
Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens. Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results from paint matching here.
No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice. Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors here.
Online Color Consulting
Still need help picking the best paint colors? Discover our Online Color Consulting Packages.
Related Posts:
- Sherwin-Williams Cyberspace Color Review
- Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent Color Review
- Best Exterior Front Door Paint Colors
- Best Exterior White Trim Colors
- Best Blue Exterior Paint Colors
About the Author
Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room.
Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person. I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, our Online Color Consultations will help you pick your paint colours. Thank you for your understanding.
