Soot vs Privilege Green
Soot (Benjamin Moore) and Privilege Green (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Soot belongs to the blue-grey family and Privilege Green to the green-grey family. The 17-point LRV gap — 23 for Privilege Green vs 6 for Soot — means Privilege Green will open up a space more effectively. Where Soot leans blue, Privilege Green reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 32.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Soot vs Privilege Green in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Soot and Privilege Green in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Privilege Green reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soot.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Privilege Green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Privilege Green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Soot would.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Privilege Green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Privilege Green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Privilege Green reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soot.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Privilege Green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Soot vs Privilege Green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soot on one side and Privilege Green 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 Soot comparisons
See how Soot stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
