Lamp Black vs Dark Night
Lamp Black (Little Greene) and Dark Night (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Lamp Black belongs to the grey family and Dark Night to the blue family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 3 vs 4 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Lamp Black leans purple, Dark Night reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 10.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Lamp Black vs Dark Night in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Lamp Black and Dark Night 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. Dark Night brings more warmth to the space, while Lamp Black keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Lamp Black reads more restrained here, while Dark Night adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Lamp Black reads more restrained here, while Dark Night adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Dark Night brings more warmth to the space, while Lamp Black keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Lamp Black vs Dark Night Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Lamp Black on one side and Dark Night 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 Lamp Black comparisons
See how Lamp Black stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
