Pitch Black vs Artichoke
Pitch Black is a Farrow & Ball color while Artichoke comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. At LRV 21 vs 5, Artichoke will read as the brighter of the two — a 16-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 33.1, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pitch Black vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Pitch Black 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.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Artichoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Pitch Black would.
Color Details
Pitch Black vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pitch Black 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 Pitch Black comparisons
See how Pitch Black stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 5, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 6 vs 5), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 5, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 5, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 5, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
With LRVs of 5 and 4, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 55 vs 5, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (13 vs 5) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 5, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 5, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 5, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 5, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (12 vs 5) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
A 3-point LRV gap (8 vs 5) makes Duck Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 5, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (12 vs 5) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 5, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 5), opening up a space where Pitch Black encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 5, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.