Deep Fossil vs Lamp Black

Deep FossilDuluxvsLamp BlackLittle GreeneΔE 41.1Very different colors

Where Deep Fossil belongs to Dulux'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. Deep Fossil (LRV 31) reflects noticeably more light than Lamp Black (LRV 3), a difference of 28 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Deep Fossil runs neutral while Lamp Black is decidedly purple, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 41.1, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Deep Fossil vs Lamp Black in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Deep Fossil 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 Deep Fossil will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Lamp Black would.

Deep FossilGrey Steel 1 living room interior

@bellwaymaple2020

Lamp BlackLittle Greene Lamp Black 228 living room accent wall

@bytherowantrees_

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Deep Fossil reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Lamp Black.

Deep FossilGrey Steel 1 bedroom accent wall

@dbpaintingdecorating_npt

Lamp BlackLittle Greene Lamp Black 228 bedroom panelling

@visitnumber7

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. Deep Fossil returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Deep FossilDulux Grey Steel 1 dining room accent wall

@no1_the_harrier

Lamp BlackLittle Greene Lamp Black 228 dining room

@queensrenovation48

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. Deep Fossil reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Lamp Black.

Deep FossilDulux Grey Steel 1 bathroom color review

@thehazelhouse153

Lamp BlackLittle Greene Lamp Black 228 bathroom

@kattyansari

Color Details

Deep Fossil
Dulux · 00NN 31/000
Hex#8F908F
LRV31.0
BrandDulux
Number00NN 31/000
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Lamp Black
Little Greene · 228
Hex#2e2d2e
LRV2.7
BrandLittle Greene
Number228
UndertonePurple
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Deep Fossil vs Lamp Black Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Deep Fossil on one side and Lamp Black on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Deep Fossil comparisons

See how Deep Fossil stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Deep Fossil
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Deep Fossil
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Deep Fossil
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Deep Fossil is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Deep Fossil
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Deep Fossil
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nearly identical in tone

Mizzle
Deep Fossil
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Deep Fossil
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Deep Fossil
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Deep Fossil reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Deep Fossil
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Deep Fossil
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Deep Fossil
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Deep Fossil reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Deep Fossil
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Pine Needle
Deep Fossil
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Deep Fossil reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Deep Fossil
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Deep Fossil reads slightly lighter

Black grey
Deep Fossil
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Deep Fossil reads noticeably lighter

Piazza
Deep Fossil
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Deep Fossil
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Deep Fossil
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Senses
Deep Fossil
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads slightly lighter

Washed Linen
Deep Fossil
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Deep Fossil
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Deep Fossil reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Deep Fossil
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Deep Fossil reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Deep Fossil
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Deep Fossil reads noticeably lighter

Obsidian Green
Deep Fossil
Obsidian Green
Little Greene
Obsidian Green
LRV 1

Deep Fossil is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Deep Fossil
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Deep Fossil
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

RAL 110-2
Deep Fossil
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Deep Fossil
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Deep Fossil
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Deep Fossil
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Deep Fossil reads noticeably lighter