Blackened Black vs Basil

Blackened BlackJotunvsBasilSherwin-WilliamsΔE 16.8Distinct difference

Blackened Black is a Jotun color while Basil comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Blackened Black belongs to the grey family and Basil to the green-grey family. At LRV 15 vs 7, Basil will read as the brighter of the two — a 8-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 16.8, 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.

Blackened Black vs Basil in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Blackened Black and Basil 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. Basil has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort stylish living room interior

@lindajohansen86

BasilBasil Living Room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Basil gives the walls a little more lift.

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort minimalist bedroom

@interior_hcr

BasilBasil Bedroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — Basil gives the walls a little more lift.

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort kitchen interior

@hannehagen_

BasilBasil Kitchen

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Basil gives the walls a little more lift.

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort dark bathroom review

@kjerstish

BasilSW Basil bathroom color review

@polingpainting

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Basil gives the walls a little more lift.

Blackened BlackJotun Blackened Black exterior color

@villavedlog

BasilBasil House

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The brightness difference is modest but present — Basil gives the walls a little more lift.

Blackened BlackJotun Dempet Sort dark kitchen cabinets paint

@nelly_house

BasilSherwin Williams Basil kitchen cabinets paint review

@style_your_rooms

Color Details

Blackened Black
Jotun · 9938
Hex#494948
LRV7.0
BrandJotun
Number9938
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Basil
Sherwin-Williams · 6194
Hex#626E60
LRV14.6
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6194
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Blackened Black vs Basil Simulated Comparison

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

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

White Dove
Blackened Black
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Blackened Black
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Blackened Black
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Blackened Black
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Blackened Black
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Blackened Black
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Blackened Black
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Blackened Black
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Blackened Black
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Blackened Black
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Blackened Black
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Blackened Black
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Blackened Black
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Blackened Black
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Blackened Black
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Blackened Black
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Blackened Black
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Blackened Black
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Blackened Black
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Blackened Black
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Blackened Black
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Blackened Black
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Blackened Black
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Blackened Black
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Blackened Black
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Blackened Black
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Blackened Black
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Blackened Black
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Blackened Black
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Blackened Black
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Blackened Black vs Basil Paint Color Comparison