Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 Paint Color by Sherwin Williams

I’m excited you’re looking at Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams. I’ve used it in spaces where I wanted a rich, grounded color with personality. It brings warmth and character—especially when paired with natural wood, leather, or aged metal finishes. You’ll find it works beautifully in cozy living spaces or as a bold accent wall. Because it carries both strong color and subtle nuance, I’ll walk you through how it behaves so you can feel confident choosing it.

What Color Is Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams?

Rookwood Terra Cotta is a reddish‑brown clay‑inspired hue with orange and brown undertones, giving it an earthy, vintage feel.

It works best in interiors with traditional, rustic, Mediterranean or eclectic style.

It pairs well with materials like terracotta tile, aged brick, wood beams, leather chairs and matte black iron accents. Because of its richness it’s great on a feature wall, fireplace surround, or even cabinetry—where you want the color to stand out but feel grounded.

Is Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams a Warm or Cool Color?

This color is decidedly warm. The orange and brown undertones push it into the warm‑camp, so it brings a cozy, inviting feeling to a room. Because it’s warm, it helps spaces feel intimate and comfortable rather than stark or cool.

Be aware: in dim lighting it might feel deeper or more brown than the warm terracotta you expected, so lighting really matters.

Undertones of Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams

The undertones here include brown and orange, beneath the olive masstone. These undertones influence how the color appears on the wall. The orange warms it significantly while the brown grounds it. The olive masstone (see next section) gives it a slightly muted, mature feel rather than a bright vivid terracotta. On interior walls those undertones mean the shade will appear richer in warm light and less saturated in cooler light.

What Is the Masstone of Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams?

The masstone is olive. That means the base of the paint carries an olive‑brown cast, which helps soften the bright orange and brown tones. Because of that olive base the color doesn’t feel flashy or trendy—it feels aged, grounded, and suitable for designs that aim for character rather than high contrast.

How Does Lighting Affect Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams?

Lighting will change how you perceive this color quite a bit. In a south‑facing room with strong sunlight, the orange and reddish brown will pop, making the walls feel lively and warm. In a north‑facing room (which has cooler, indirect light) the olive and brown tones will come forward, making the color feel more muted and deeper. In an east‑facing room you’ll see the morning light bring out the orange undertones; by afternoon, if artificial lighting takes over, the color may shift toward the brown side. In a west‑facing room you get golden hour light in the late afternoon which will heighten the richness and warmth of the color. Under warm artificial light (like incandescent or warm LED) the color will appear cozy and saturated; under cooler fluorescent or LED light it might look duller or greyer.

Because of all those factors, I strongly suggest placing a large swatch in your space and observing it at different times of day before painting.

What Is the LRV of Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams?

LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value—it measures how much light a paint color reflects from a surface. A higher LRV means more light is reflected and the space feels brighter. A lower LRV means more light is absorbed and the tone feels deeper and more dramatic.
For Rookwood Terra Cotta the LRV is approximately 14 which means it reflects relatively little light.
Because of that low reflectance, the color will feel quite intense and intimate—great for accent walls or rooms where you want mood and richness, but perhaps less suited for small rooms with poor lighting, unless you’re going for a dramatic look.

Coordinating Colors of Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams

Coordinating colors are those that complement the main hue to create a harmonious scheme. For this tone, you might pair Rookwood Dark Brown SW 2808, a deep rich brown that anchors the bold terracotta nicely. Another choice is Bungalow Beige SW 7511, a lighter warm neutral that gives visual rest and lets the terracotta shine without competing. These help you build a palette where the bold wall tone is balanced by softer neutrals or deeper supporting shades.

What are the Trim Colors of Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams?

Trim colors frame the wall color and help define the architecture of the space. For this paint, good trim options include Dover White SW 6385, a crisp but slightly warm white that will give clean lines and brighten around the intense wall color. Also Ivory Lace SW 7013, which offers a softer, creamier white for trim, making the space feel more relaxed and less stark. Using one or the other depends on how strong you want the contrast.

Colors Similar to Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams

Similar colors matter when you love the vibe of this color but might need a variant in lightness, saturation, or undertone. Some similar ones include Red Cent SW 6341, Sierra Redwood SW 7598, Spicy Hue SW 6342, Roycroft Adobe SW 0040, Clay Pot SW 2917, Copper Mountain SW 6356, Earthen Jug SW 7703, Carmel SW 2921, Jalapeno SW 6629, Pennywise SW 6349. Each of these shares the earthy warmth and clay/terra‑cotta base, but vary in intensity, hue shift toward red or brown, or lightness. So you can pick a similar shade if you want slight variation to better suit your space.

How to Use Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams In Your Home

You can use this color on an accent wall in a living room or dining room paired with warm wood floors and neutral furniture—letting the wall tone create the focal point.

It also works nicely in a kitchen on cabinets or island base, paired with lighter countertops and black or brass hardware.

For a cozy bedroom, consider painting three walls this color and the fourth in a lighter neutral for balance. It works especially well with natural textures like woven rugs, leather seating and matte black accents.

Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 by Sherwin Williams vs Similar Colors

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Red Cent SW 6341
Red Cent is more red‑leaning and brighter than the clay‑brown warmth of Rookwood Terra Cotta, making it more vibrant.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Sierra Redwood SW 7598
Sierra Redwood shifts slightly deeper and more muted, giving a subtler look compared to the more pronounced orange‑brown of the main color.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Spicy Hue SW 6342
Spicy Hue is a more saturated terra cotta with stronger orange/red tones, so it will feel bold and lively compared to the grounded feel of the main color.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Roycroft Adobe SW 0040
Roycroft Adobe is deeper and tends to lean more brown/brick than the orange‑clay base of the main color. It offers an option for the same family but with more richness.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Clay Pot SW 2917
Clay Pot is lighter and slightly softer, giving the terra cotta feel but in a more subtle form than Rookwood Terra Cotta.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Copper Mountain SW 6356
Copper Mountain has more metallic‑copper richness and sheen in feel, whereas Rookwood Terra Cotta is more matte terra cotta clay‑like.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Earthen Jug SW 7703
Earthen Jug is a muted terracotta/brown tone that is less vibrant and more subdued, offering a more relaxed alternative.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Carmel SW 2921
Carmel is lighter and warmer with more tan influence than the deeper clay of the main shade.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Jalapeno SW 6629
Jalapeno is more green‑undertoned and diverges from the strong orange/brown base of the main color.

Rookwood Terra Cotta vs Pennywise SW 6349
Pennywise is a saturated terra cotta leaning more red and lively than the more grounded clay tone of Rookwood Terra Cotta.

These comparisons help you see whether the main color is the right tone, or whether you might prefer one of the variants depending on your light, space, and material choices.

Conclusion

As a paint color expert, I see Rookwood Terra Cotta SW 2803 as a rich, warm tone that adds character and depth to a space without feeling overpowering. It’s perfect when you want a wall that stands out but still feels anchored and natural. If you pair it with the right materials, trim, and lighting, it will serve your room beautifully. I always recommend sampling it in your actual light and watching how it shifts across the day—once you do, you’ll feel confident in how it will perform in your home.