Railings vs Blackened Black

RailingsFarrow & BallvsBlackened BlackJotunΔE 2.9Subtle difference

Railings is a Farrow & Ball color while Blackened Black comes from Jotun. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 7 and 7, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. With a ΔE of 2.9, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Railings vs Blackened Black in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Railings and Blackened Black are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.

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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.

RailingsFarrow and Ball Railings mid-century living room color

@wherelucelives

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort stylish living room interior

@lindajohansen86

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RailingsFarrow and Ball Railings bedroom photo

@number_62_living

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort minimalist bedroom

@interior_hcr

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RailingsFarrow and Ball Railings bohemian kitchen color

@amandajanerankin

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort kitchen interior

@hannehagen_

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RailingsFarrow and Ball Railings dark bathroom color review

@skyworks_barn

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort dark bathroom review

@kjerstish

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RailingsFarrow and Ball Railings exterior paint

@roddycampbelldecorators

Blackened BlackJotun Blackened Black exterior color

@villavedlog

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RailingsFarrow and Ball Railings boho kitchen cabinets paint review

@glenlith

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort dark kitchen cabinets paint

@nelly_house

Color Details

Railings
Farrow & Ball · 31
Hex#45484b
LRV6.8
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number31
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Blackened Black
Jotun · 9938
Hex#494948
LRV7.0
BrandJotun
Number9938
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Railings vs Blackened Black Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Railings on one side and Blackened 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 Railings comparisons

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

White Dove
Railings
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Railings
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Railings
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Railings
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Railings
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Railings
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Railings
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Railings
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Railings
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Railings
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Railings
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Railings
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Railings
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Railings
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Railings
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Railings
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Railings
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Railings
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Railings
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Railings
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Railings
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Railings
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Railings
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Railings
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Railings
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Railings
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Railings
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Railings
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Railings
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Railings
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice