Darkroom
Often used for its genuinely dark qualities, Darkroom remains a staple for Sherwin-Williams designers. It is widely considered one of the best colors in its class to anchor a room without demanding the spotlight. We've gathered 10 real-home scenarios to help you visualize this color alongside our expert data.
Hex
#443E40
LRV
4.99
Darkroom's Color Strip
Darkroom is the seventh shade on this 7-color strip, the deepest shade in this coordinated family. As part of strip 227, these colors are curated to work together — helpful when you're deciding how light or deep to go.
Darkroom in Real Rooms
Darkroom has a low LRV of 4.99 — it absorbs light and reads as a genuinely dark, enveloping color. It's neutral in temperature and , making it adaptable across different lighting conditions and room orientations. Grouped in the Purple family, the photos below show it applied in a bathroom, bedroom, home office, dining room, front door, house, mudroom, kitchen, patio and living room.
1 Bathroom Photo
Small bathrooms amplify whatever color is on the wall, which makes the choice more consequential than it first appears. Darkroom has enough depth to register without closing the room in, and it plays well with white subway tile or warm wood accents.
Darkroom — earthy bathroom
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1 Bedroom Photo
In the context of a primary suite, Darkroom suggests a boutique-hotel level of refinement. It creates a seamless flow between the sleeping area and the dressing room, providing a steadying influence that makes the morning routine feel more organized and serene.
A minimalist bedroom painted in Darkroom
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1 Home Office Photo
To create a "library" feel in your home office, use Darkroom on both the walls and the built-in shelving. This monochromatic approach creates a sophisticated, academic atmosphere that makes the room feel like a true destination for thought.
Sherwin-Williams Darkroom in a neutral home office
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1 Dining Room Photo
For an "all-day" dining room, Darkroom is surprisingly adaptable. In the morning, it feels crisp and clean for breakfast; as the sun moves, it transitions into a moodier, more reflective space that is perfect for long, lingering dinners.
Darkroom paint in a boho dining room
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1 Front Door Photo
The front door is a great place to experiment with higher sheen levels. Darkroom in a high-gloss finish creates a mirror-like surface that looks incredibly expensive and traditional, echoing the grand entryways of London or New York.
bold front door featuring Darkroom by Sherwin-Williams
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1 House Photo
The way Darkroom interacts with exterior lighting—like sconces or path lights—is dramatic. At night, the house takes on a protective, fortress-like quality that feels incredibly secure and welcoming to those returning home.
Darkroom color — coastal house inspiration
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1 Mudroom Photo
The depth of Darkroom is a secret weapon against the "dirty" look that many light-colored mudrooms eventually suffer from. It retains its freshness and intentionality even when it's not perfectly clean, which is essential for an active family.
Darkroom paint in a cottagecore mudroom
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1 Kitchen Photo
Kitchens are often the noisiest rooms in the house; Darkroom provides the visual equivalent of acoustic dampening. Its steady, calm presence helps lower the "volume" of the room, creating a more pleasant environment for cooking and conversation.
Darkroom — industrial kitchen
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1 Patio Photo
Outside, Darkroom takes on a completely different life. Whether on deck boards, patio furniture, a fence, or a garden wall, it weathers beautifully and holds its character in open light. It is a natural companion to stone, weathered wood, and greenery.
contemporary patio featuring Darkroom by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Living Room Photo
Darkroom works harder than it looks in a living room environment. Whether the space gets direct southern sun or stays north-facing and dim, the color finds its specific register — neither receding into the background nor demanding the spotlight. It acts as a sophisticated backdrop that makes every piece of furniture or art placed in front of it look immediately more considered and curated.
A industrial living room painted in Darkroom
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Coordinating Colors
Original White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 5), opening up a space where Darkroom encloses it.
Drift of Mist reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 5), opening up a space where Darkroom encloses it.
At LRV 29 vs 5, Autumn Orchid is decisively the brighter choice.
Trim Color
Original White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 5), opening up a space where Darkroom encloses it.
Similar Colors
With LRVs of 5 and 4, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 5 and 4, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 5 and 4, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 6 and 5, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 5 vs 5), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Complementary Colors
At LRV 73 vs 5, Mountain Air is decisively the brighter choice.
Billiard Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 5 and 5, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Parisian Patina reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 5), opening up a space where Darkroom encloses it.
Lighter Colors
Expressive Plum reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 6 and 5, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.