Smoky Quartz vs Lamp Black
Where Smoky Quartz belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Lamp Black is a Little Greene color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Smoky Quartz (LRV 38) reflects noticeably more light than Lamp Black (LRV 3), a difference of 35 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 49.4, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoky Quartz vs Lamp Black in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoky Quartz and Lamp Black 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Smoky Quartz will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Lamp Black would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Smoky Quartz reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Lamp Black.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Smoky Quartz reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Lamp Black.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Smoky Quartz returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Smoky Quartz reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Lamp Black.
Color Details
Smoky Quartz vs Lamp Black Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoky Quartz on one side and Lamp Black 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 Smoky Quartz comparisons
See how Smoky Quartz stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
