Our Review of Cascades by Sherwin Williams

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Sherwin Williams’ Cascades is a dramatic, stunning color that’s sure to transform your home and turn heads.

We highlighted Cascades as of the 12 best Sherwin Williams’ exterior paint colors of 2021 and have been obsessed with it ever since. We even named it one of our favorite green exterior house colors. Our lists aren’t the only ones Cascades is topping though. Sherwin Williams’ named Cascades its Color of the Month in September.

With all this in mind, we decided it’s time to finally give Cascades a proper review. Keep reading to learn all about Sherwin Williams’ Cascades, how we use it on home exteriors, and more.

Picking the right paint color for your home exterior is crucial to great curb appeal. Get guidance from the pros to ensure you make the right choice. We can also help you visualize design elements like balconies, bump outs, porches, and more. Learn about our virtual exterior design services.

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Virtual rendering of a three-story home painted with Sherwin Williams' Cascades, a wrap-around porch, and black windows.

Sherwin Williams’ Cascades: The specs

Cascades is as stunning as it is dark. And with an LRV of 4, it’s quite dark. (Curious about LRV? Learn more here, including why LRV is so important to keep in mind when choosing the perfect paint color for your home.)

Cascades is a green-blue hue and a beautifully bold choice if you’re interested in a darker exterior paint color. In shaded and low-light environments, it can appear as a gorgeous green-black. In the sun and brighter environments, its green-blue undertones that give it a teal appearance are more noticeable and saturated.

WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND SAMPLING AND TESTING PAINT COLORS BEFORE COMMITTING. FACTORS SUCH AS NATURAL LIGHTING, UNDERTONES, AND YOUR PROPERTY’S FIXED ELEMENTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOW A COLOR WILL APPEAR ON YOUR EXTERIOR. OUR FRIENDS AT SAMPLIZE OFFER EXTRA-LARGE 9 X 14.75 INCH PEEL-AND-STICK PAINT SAMPLES OF THE COLORS WE LOVE FOR EXTERIORS. ORDER YOUR ‘REAL PAINT, NO MESS’ SAMPLES FROM SAMPLIZE HERE.
White building with shutters in Sherwin Williams' Cascades, a wood front doo, and large awning.

Recommended applications for Cascades

Cascades does an excellent job of making a statement on its own, so we often use it as the central color on our designs, however, it works well as an accent color too. In the design above, our designers applied Cascades to the shutters and awning of this residence for a fun splash of color on its white façade.

No matter how you apply Cascades, you can take comfort in the fact that it plays nicely with all sorts of building materials. We often use Cascades in conjunction with wood cladding, columns, and other accents, as well as gray, brown, or white stone. The design above incorporated wood beautifully to complement the shutters and add warmth.

Split-level home with wood-stained columns, white windows, and wood lintels.

Cascades color pairings

When our designers use Cascades, they typically pair it with muted or subdued hues of white or a black paint color. Both Moderne White and Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams are excellent choices. Even lighter greiges can work, as seen in the design above. Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams was applied to the trim and soffits, while wood on the columns, lintels, fence, and front door add warmth. Black fixtures add a subtle touch of modern to this farmhouse and stone on the front steps and columns bases adds textural interest and depth.

Cascades looks luxurious when paired with whites and copper, but it can also be rustic when paired with wood and black. This versatility is one reason we’re highlighting Cascades as a great exterior paint color option.

Virtual rendering of a Victorian style home with wood cladding, black windows, and painted in Sherwin Williams' Cascades

Cascades’ versatility also makes it appealing on many different home styles. Its ability to make a wide variety of styles shine means it can be enjoyed by many.

The Victorian home above was transformed with Cascades as its primary color, Tricorn Black on the eaves, trim, and soffits, and copper gutters. Wood cladding surrounding the entry draws the eye up the stairs to the sleek front door. Black accents like the updated fence, porch lighting, and even the house numbers modernize a historic home without overpowering its character.

Two story traditional home with wood columns, wood lintels, and a gray exterior.

The traditional home above perfectly showcases how Cascades can be utilized as an accent hue. The design features Gray Huskie by Benjamin Moore on the exterior and a pop of Cascades on the small section of horizontal siding. Gray Huskie’s putty-like color accentuates Cascade’s richness.

Black light fixtures, large black windows, and a modern garage door add to the understated elegance of this home. To keep the home from feeling stark and cold, we incorporated plenty of wood elements. The wood found around the entry adds the inviting touch it needed to welcome its owners home.

Virtual rendering of an apartment with wood cladding on the bottom, and vertical siding on top painted in Sherwin Williams' Cascades.

Pros and cons of Cascades by Sherwin Williams

PROS:

  • Unique color that will set a home apart
  • Looks great in shaded and bright environments
  • Is lovely on many home styles

CONS:

  • May not be “traditional” enough
  • Could be too dark for some
  • Not as versatile as other greens

Cascades alternatives

Cascades isn’t the only green exterior paint color we love. Below are some other options to consider.

Modern traditional home with a large paned glass door, wood staircase, copper metal planters, and black windows.

Benjamin Moore’s Regent Green vs. Cascades

Regent Green by Benjamin Moore is a deep, muted green we named one of our 16 best Benjamin Moore paint colors for 2023. Similar to Cascades, it has jewel-like blue undertones but can appear almost black in certain environments. Regent Green is just a tad lighter than Cascades, with an LRV of 6.16.

In terms of application and color pairings, Regent Green and Cascades have a lot in common. Regent Green looks just as nice with wood accents, black, soft and muted whites, and gray natural stone. It’s also another great choice for homes that are set in dense wooded locations.

A home rendered in Naval, an alternative to Sherwin Williams' Cascades

Sherwin Williams’ Naval vs. Cascades

If you’re searching for a color that’s decidedly more blue than green, Sherwin Williams’ Naval should be on your radar. Naval is an amazing near-black navy that we adore at brick&batten. With an LRV of 4 — the same as Cascades — it’s a seriously dark hue that will add a dose of drama to your façade.

Our designers have applied Naval to many designs with striking results for a statement-making look. If you’re looking for more of a classic color palette, Naval can offer that too. When paired with crisp whites like the home above, you’ll get the perfect balance of a deep, colorful hue accented with trim to make the entire façade appear stately.

We love Naval so much it even made our list of the 16 best Sherwin Williams’ paint colors of 2023. It works well as both a central and accent color on shutters and front doors. Plus, it can handle some fun accent colors like Wasabi by Benjamin Moore for a punch of modern or Peach Fuzz by Sherwin Williams for a preppy style.

Two-story home with wood-stained garage door, wood porch columns, and large modern house numbers.

The bottom line on Cascades

Cascades is an exceptional exterior paint color with rich undertones and a jewel-like appearance. It’s an easy paint color to work with because of its straightforward application and color pairings. If you’re seeking a paint color for your home’s exterior to stand out from the rest on the block, this may be the one for you.

Now that you’ve read about this beautiful green exterior paint color, let us help you visualize it on your home! After answering a few questions, we’ll get to work on a fully customized virtual rendering of your home and a clickable resource list that will help you execute the upgrade. Get started here.

Author

Originally from Tennessee, Ami currently lives in South Carolina, which has been home since leaving the military in 2016. Interior and exterior design has always intrigued Ami, especially the styles and characteristics seen in other countries as an avid traveler and photographer. She lives for the renewal of older or historic homes that maintain their character, and regularly creates her own mood boards and virtual designs for inspiration or to help others with their spaces. Having always had a passion for design and following their work for years prior, Ami was excited to be brought onto brick&batten’s team of writers. Her writing endeavors actually started in an academic/scientific setting, then in a regulatory aspect. Writing about paint colors, emerging or current trends in exterior design, and so much more revolving around something she’s always enjoyed was a fun and welcomed change!