Espresso Bean vs Black Bean
Where Espresso Bean belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Black Bean is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (6 vs 4), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Espresso Bean runs red while Black Bean is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. At ΔE 2.3, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.
Color Details
Espresso Bean vs Black Bean Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Espresso Bean on one side and Black Bean on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Espresso Bean comparisons
See how Espresso Bean stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
