Sherwin Williams Positive Red SW 6871
| Official page: | Positive Red SW 6871 |
| Code: | SW 6871 |
| Name: | Positive Red |
| Brand: | Sherwin Williams |
| Collections: | 2019 Enthusiast |
What color is Sherwin Williams Positive Red?
Step into a world of warmth and energy with Positive Red (SW 6871) by Sherwin Williams. This vibrant hue exudes confidence and passion, making it perfect for spaces where you want to make a bold statement. Imagine it adorning a dining room, infusing every meal with a sense of excitement and joy. In a home office, Positive Red can inspire creativity and motivation, while in a living room, it can create a lively and inviting atmosphere. Embrace the power of color with Positive Red in your home.
Positive Red for exterior (4 photos)
Looking for a fresh new look for your house exterior or starting from skretch? We’ve collected pictures of real-life homes that have been painted with this warm red hue. Find inspiration for your house’s exterior, front doors, gates, shutters, frames or windows.




Sherwin Williams Positive Red reviews
View the photos of real spaces painted with this red that were not included in specific categories.Close-ups, painted furniture, storages and dressers, hallways, stairs and ceilings.

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What are Sherwin Williams Positive Red undertones?
Positive Red has a clear red undertone based on its position in the color space. We identify undertones by isolating the pure hue (separating it from lightness and saturation), which avoids distortions caused by tints, tones, and shades.
This method is generally more reliable than judging undertones on a white background.
HEX value:
#AD2C34
RGB code:
173, 44, 52
Is Sherwin Williams Positive Red SW 6871 cool or warm?
At 356° on the HSL hue wheel, this dark red sits firmly on the warm side.
SW 6871 Positive Red HSL code: 356, 59%, 43%
Hue - degree on a color wheel from 0 to 360. 0 is red, 120 is green, and 240 is blue.
Saturation is expressed as a percentage. At 0%, it appears as a shade of grey, and at 100%, it is in full color.
Lightness is also a percentage value. 0% is black, and 100% is white.
How light temperature affects Positive Red
Natural Lighting. During the day, natural light shifts from about 2000 K at sunrise/sunset to 5500–6500 K at noon.
In addition, natural‑light temperature depends on its direction:
| Direction of sunlight | Visible temp. | Hue | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Cool | Bluish | All day |
| East | Warm | Yellow | Before noon |
| West | Warm | Orange‑red | After noon |
| South | Warm | Orange‑yellow | All day |
Artificial Lighting. When choosing bulbs, pay attention to their color‑temperature (Kelvins).
Use the slider to see how this dark red shade looks under different lighting:


4000K
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Sherwin Williams Positive Red:
Monochromatic color scheme
This scheme consists of various shades, tints, and tones of a single color. While it offers a perfect combination of hues, without accent décor it may become monotonous.
Lighter shades
SW 6871
Positive Red
Darker shades
SW 6871
Positive Red
Complementary color scheme
This color scheme is a combination of two shades that are opposite each other on the color wheel. The high contrast between these colors creates a vibrant and dynamic visual effect. For the color Positive Red with a red hue, complementary colors are those with a green hue close to 176, such as Sherwin Williams Tidewater and Mountain Stream.
LRV of Positive Red
Positive Red has an LRV of 10.9% and refers to Medium Dark which means that this color reflects very little light. Why LRV is important?
Light Reflectance Value measures the amount of visible and usable light that reflects from a painted surface.
Simply put, the higher the LRV of a paint color, the brighter the room you will get.
The scale goes from 0% (absolute black, absorbing all light) to 100% (pure white, reflecting all light).
Act like a pro: When choosing paint with an LRV of 10.9%, pay attention to your bulbs' brightness. Light brightness is measured in lumens. The lower the paint's LRV, the higher lumen level you need. Every square foot of room needs at least 40 lumens. That means for a 200 ft2 living room you’ll need about 8000 lumens of light – e.g., eight 1000 lm bulbs.
Color codes
We have collected almost every possible color code you could ever need. To copy the code, just click the icon to the right of it.
| Format | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | #ad2c34 | |
| RGB Decimal | 173, 44, 52 | |
| RGB Percent | 67.84%, 17.25%, 20.39% | |
| HSV | Hue: 356° Saturation: 74.57% Value: 67.84% | |
| HSL | hsl(356, 59, 43) | |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 74.57 Yellow: 69.94 Key: 32.16 | |
| YIQ | Y: 83.483 I: 74.3 Q: 29.778 | |
| XYZ | X: 18.756 Y: 10.936 Z: 4.371 | |
| CIE Lab | L:39.473 a:51.989 b:27.161 | |
| CIE Luv | L:39.473 u:94.986 v:17.478 | |
| Decimal | 11349044 | |
| Hunter Lab | 33.07, 43.365, 15.312 |
Color equivalents
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Orient red
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Neon Red
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Gypsy Red
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SW 6601
Tanager
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SW 6864
Cherry Tomato
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CSP-1195
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CC-68
Lyons Red
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Raspberry red
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SW 6594
Poinsettia
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Ladybug Red
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