Dock Blue vs Artichoke
Where Dock Blue belongs to Little Greene's range, Artichoke is a Sherwin-Williams color. Dock Blue reads as blue, while Artichoke reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Artichoke (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Dock Blue (LRV 4), a difference of 18 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Dock Blue runs blue while Artichoke is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 38.7, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dock Blue vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dock Blue 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
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 LRV gap is large enough that Artichoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Dock Blue would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Artichoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dock Blue.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Artichoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dock Blue.
Color Details
Dock Blue vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dock Blue 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 Dock Blue comparisons
See how Dock Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 4, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 4, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 4, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 4, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 4, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 4), opening up a space where Dock Blue encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 4, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (7 vs 4) makes Pine Needle the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 4, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 4, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 4, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.