Our Review of Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams

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Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams is a gorgeous dark green with gray undertones. If a dramatic dark exterior intrigues you, like it has many other homeowners, you’ll want to keep reading to learn more about how Sherwin Williams’ Rock Bottom exterior paint color can transform your home.

Choosing an exterior paint color doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Let us help! The design experts at brick&batten will narrow down your choices and show you how they look on your home. From exterior paint colors to lighting options, we’re here to guide your exterior update decision-making process. Learn more about what we do.

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Wide single-story home rendered in Sherwin Williams' Rock Bottom

Sherwin Williams’ Rock Bottom: The specs

A dark green-gray, Rock Bottom has an LRV of 7. On the LRV scale, this is dark, but not the darkest we’ve reviewed or our designers have recommended. The green is almost always noticeable, but in some lighting conditions the gray undertones are more apparent.

(Curious about LRV? Learn more, including why LRV is so important to keep in mind when choosing the perfect paint color for your home, here.)

Large traditional a-frame dark green home with stone siding, wood cladding, and many windows.

Recommended applications for Rock Bottom

Rock Bottom is indeed a dark color and a bold choice for a home’s exterior. With the right accent materials, like stone and wood, and colors like grays, blacks, and creamy whites it can be beautiful as the central color. As an accent color, our designers like to use Rock Bottom on window trim with a lighter central hue to create contrast. Mountain homes, cabins, and lakeside houses look great in this earthy color, but we’ve seen it stand out on contemporary and Craftsman-style homes, as well.

before ad after of a midcentury two-story home updated with wood cladding, dark green paint, and asphalt driveway

Rock Bottom color pairings

You may have noticed from the designs shared so far that white or black trim, wood accents, and multi-colored stone are popular color pairings for Rock Bottom. The home above has both white windows, which were original to the home, and black trim (in Benjamin Moore’s Black Beauty) and gutters, both suggested by our designers. Thermory wood cladding creates depth and dimension on the second floor bump outs. The wood accents are continued on the garage doors, porch columns, and front door.

before and after of a multi-level lakeside home with black trimmed windows, a large balcony, wood paneling, stone columns under the balcony, and a large fire-pit sitting area

Above is a wonderful example of pairing Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams with wood, stone, and black accents and trim. The trim in Benjamin Moore’s Black modernizes and streamlines the home’s architecture. The gray in the stone siding and columns complements Rock Bottom’s gray undertones and adds texture. The walnut-stained wood paneling brings warmth to what would otherwise be a cool façade. Brown as an accent color is continued with the copper gutters, a brick&batten design element favorite.

before and after of an urban home updated with dark green paint, white trim, flagstone walkway, and a charcoal stained fence with pergola

The before photo above shows a home that blends into its surroundings and is perhaps a little dated. Our designers applied Rock Bottom to the cedar shake siding and Benjamin Moore’s Simply White to the trim for a classic color palette that always delivers. Modern cable porch railings, a new stained fence (complete with a pergola over the gate), and a flagstone walkway all transform the exterior and give massive curb appeal. There aren’t a lot of windows on this home, so a front door with a large window helps to open up the façade for a more welcoming entry.

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.
one story rancher painted in dark green with wood shutters and black front doors

Pros and cons of Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams

PROS:

  • Provides a big transformation if a bold move is what you’re looking for
  • Looks great on many home styles
  • Can be paired with cool hues like grays and warm hues like browns and creamy whites

CONS:

  • May be too dark for some homeowners
  • Green isn’t for everyone

Alternatives to Rock Bottom

Dark exterior paint colors are in, and we are here for it! So many home styles can be given new life and personality just by switching from a light color to dark. Below are two colors that are similar to Rock Bottom. We provide these alternatives for more inspiration and options if you’re looking to take the plunge into the trend.

virtual rendering of a green bungalow accented with stone columns, wood cladding, and modern cable railings

Benjamin Moore’s Deep Creek

Deep Creek by Benjamin Moore is a medium brown with green undertones. It has an LRV of 14 vs. Rock Bottom’s 7, so it is a bit lighter. Our recommended color pairings and applications are almost identical to Rock Bottom’s, as well as recommended home styles for this hue. We think you’ll love Deep Creek so much that we named it one of our favorite green exterior house colors.

virtual rendering of mid-century modern home with cedar shake siding painted in charcoal gray and a composite wood deck

Sherwin Williams’ Iron Ore

On the top half of the home above, you’ll see Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams paired with Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore on the vertical siding. Iron Ore is a beautiful charcoal black with virtually no undertones. This popular paint color was on our lists of both best exterior house colors of 2022 and best black and dark gray paint colors for exteriors due to its versatility and softness.

Sherwin Williams Rock Bottom vs. Iron Ore

When comparing Rock Bottom to Iron Ore, Iron Ore is the tiniest bit darker than Rock Bottom; it may not even be noticeable in certain lighting conditions. Notably, Rock Bottom has green undertones, while Iron Ore does not. This means that using Iron Ore in a color scheme (vs. Rock Bottom) allows for a wider variety of color pairings and accent colors. Recommended home styles are about the same for both: contemporary, Craftsman, woodsy mountain homes, and lakeside homes. Overall, the two colors are very similar — with the exception of their undertones. If you’re looking for a dark exterior paint color, but not a green, consider Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams.

Rustic, woodsy home with Rock Bottom siding and Mountain Road on deck and window trim

The bottom line on Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams

Painting your exterior in Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams is an excellent route if you want a bold home that’s nontraditional, but still beautiful. The green in Rock Bottom pairs perfectly with grays, creams, blacks, and browns, giving earthy and organic vibes to a façade. Design elements like updated railings and lighting fixtures can create a modern feel on homes nestled in nature, a trend we love. If you’re interested in seeing what your home would look like in Rock Bottom by Sherwin Williams, you know where to find us!

At brick&batten, we are experts at recommending the right color choices for your home and its environment. We take into account the amount of natural light you get, your desired style, preferred/existing accent colors, and more to ensure the perfect hue for your home. The process is easy. Answers to a few short questions and photos of your home are all we need to get going. With this information, we will produce a virtual design of your home with our suggested paint colors and more. You’ll also receive a clickable resource list that helps you execute the upgrade. What are you waiting for? Let’s make your dream reality. 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!