Lamp Black vs Inkwell
Lamp Black (Little Greene) and Inkwell (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Lamp Black belongs to the grey family and Inkwell to the blue-grey 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, Inkwell reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 4.9 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Lamp Black vs Inkwell in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Lamp Black and Inkwell 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
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. Inkwell 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 Inkwell 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. Inkwell brings more warmth to the space, while Lamp Black keeps things cooler and crisper.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Lamp Black reads more restrained here, while Inkwell adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Lamp Black vs Inkwell Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Lamp Black on one side and Inkwell 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.
