Smalt vs African Violet
Smalt (Little Greene) and African Violet (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Smalt reads as blue, while African Violet reads as purple — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 4-point LRV gap — 11 for African Violet vs 6 for Smalt — means African Violet will open up a space more effectively. Where Smalt leans blue, African Violet reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 16.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smalt vs African Violet in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smalt and African Violet 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. African Violet reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. African Violet has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. African Violet has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Smalt vs African Violet Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smalt on one side and African Violet 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 Smalt comparisons
See how Smalt stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 6, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 6, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 6, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 6, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 6, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 6, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 6, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 6, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 6, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 6), opening up a space where Smalt encloses it.