Van Courtland Blue vs Artichoke
Van Courtland Blue is a Benjamin Moore color while Artichoke comes from Sherwin-Williams. Van Courtland Blue reads as blue-grey, while Artichoke reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 31 vs 21, Van Courtland Blue will read as the brighter of the two — a 10-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Van Courtland Blue's blue character against Artichoke's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 21.8, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Van Courtland Blue vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Van Courtland Blue and Artichoke 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Van Courtland Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Van Courtland Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Van Courtland Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Van Courtland Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Van Courtland Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Van Courtland Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.
Color Details
Van Courtland Blue vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Van Courtland Blue on one side and Artichoke 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 Van Courtland Blue comparisons
See how Van Courtland Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 31, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Van Courtland Blue reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 31, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 31 vs 30), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 31, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
Van Courtland Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 12-point LRV gap (43 vs 31) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 31 vs 4, Van Courtland Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
Van Courtland Blue reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 31, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
Van Courtland Blue reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (41 vs 31) makes Dix Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 31, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (31 vs 25) makes Van Courtland Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
Van Courtland Blue reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 31), opening up a space where Van Courtland Blue encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 31 vs 31), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 31 vs 7, Van Courtland Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (31 vs 24) makes Van Courtland Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 31, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 31, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.