Obsidian vs Artichoke
Where Obsidian belongs to PPG's range, Artichoke is a Sherwin-Williams color. Obsidian reads as blue-grey, while Artichoke reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Artichoke (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Obsidian (LRV 8), a difference of 13 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 28.1, 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 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Obsidian vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Obsidian 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 Obsidian 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 Obsidian.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Artichoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Artichoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Artichoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Obsidian.
Color Details
Obsidian vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Obsidian 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 Obsidian comparisons
See how Obsidian stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 8, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 8), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 8), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 8), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 8, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 8, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 8), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 8, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 8, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 8), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 8, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 8, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (12 vs 8) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 8, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (12 vs 8) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 8, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 8), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
With LRVs of 8 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.