Dark Lead Colour vs Before the Storm
Where Dark Lead Colour belongs to Little Greene's range, Before the Storm is a Sherwin-Williams color. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Before the Storm (LRV 18) reflects noticeably more light than Dark Lead Colour (LRV 15), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Dark Lead Colour runs red while Before the Storm is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 7.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dark Lead Colour vs Before the Storm in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Dark Lead Colour and Before the Storm 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
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 brightness difference is modest but present — Before the Storm gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Dark Lead Colour vs Before the Storm Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dark Lead Colour on one side and Before the Storm 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 Dark Lead Colour comparisons
See how Dark Lead Colour stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
