Dark Lead Colour vs Artichoke

Dark Lead Colour (Little Greene) and Artichoke (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 7-point LRV gap — 21 for Artichoke vs 15 for Dark Lead Colour — means Artichoke will open up a space more effectively. Where Dark Lead Colour leans red, Artichoke reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 15.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Dark Lead Colour vs Artichoke in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dark Lead Colour 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.

Living Room

A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Artichoke reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Dark Lead ColourLittle Greene Dark Lead Colour 118 hallway

@hillfarmfurniture

ArtichokeWarm green accent wall Sherwin Williams Artichoke SW 6179

@jess.esmith

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Artichoke has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Dark Lead ColourLittle Greene Dark Lead Colour 118 bedroom

@restoringlansdowne

ArtichokeSherwin Williams SW 6179 bedroom paint

@pagemontfarmhouse

Color Details

Dark Lead Colour
Little Greene · 118
Hex#6d6a65
LRV14.5
BrandLittle Greene
Number118
UndertoneRed
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams · 6179
Hex#7F8266
LRV21.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6179
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Dark Lead Colour vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dark Lead Colour on one side and Artichoke 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 Dark Lead Colour comparisons

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

White Dove
Dark Lead Colour
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Dark Lead Colour
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Dark Lead Colour
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Dark Lead Colour reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
Dark Lead Colour
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Dark Lead Colour
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Dark Lead Colour
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Dark Lead Colour
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Dark Lead Colour
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Dark Lead Colour
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Dark Lead Colour
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Dark Lead Colour
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Dark Lead Colour reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Dark Lead Colour
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Dark Lead Colour
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Nearly identical in tone

Hardwick White
Dark Lead Colour
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Dark Lead Colour
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Dark Lead Colour
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Dark Lead Colour
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Dark Lead Colour
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Dark Lead Colour
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Nearly identical in tone

Skimming Stone
Dark Lead Colour
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Dark Lead Colour
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Dark Lead Colour
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Dark Lead Colour
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Dark Lead Colour
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Nearly identical in tone

Saybrook Sage
Dark Lead Colour
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Dark Lead Colour
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Dark Lead Colour
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Dark Lead Colour reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Dark Lead Colour
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter

Guilford Green
Dark Lead Colour
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Just Walnut
Dark Lead Colour
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice