Anthracite grey vs Black grey

Anthracite greyRAL ClassicvsBlack greyRAL ClassicΔE 5.5Noticeable difference

Both from RAL Classic's palette. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (8 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. The ΔE 5.5 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Anthracite grey vs Black grey in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Anthracite grey and Black grey 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.

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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

Anthracite greyRAL Classic 7016 garage door color

@a_s_doors_ltd

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 house exterior

@ebbandflow_home

Front Door

A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Anthracite greyRAL Classic 7016 front door inspiration

@c_refinish

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 front door

@doing_up_the_doer_upper

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

Anthracite greyRAL Classic Anthracite grey kitchen cabinets

@wesprayupvc

Black greyRAL Classic 7021 kitchen cabinets paint review

@a.jak.agata

Color Details

Anthracite grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7016
Hex#383E42
LRV8.1
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7016
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
Black grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7021
Hex#2F3234
LRV6.5
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7021
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Anthracite grey vs Black grey Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Anthracite grey on one side and Black grey on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Anthracite grey comparisons

See how Anthracite grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Anthracite grey
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Anthracite grey
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Anthracite grey
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Anthracite grey
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Anthracite grey
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Anthracite grey
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Anthracite grey
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Anthracite grey
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Anthracite grey
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Anthracite grey
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Anthracite grey
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Anthracite grey reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Anthracite grey
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Anthracite grey
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Anthracite grey
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Anthracite grey
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Anthracite grey
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Anthracite grey
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Anthracite grey
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Anthracite grey
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Anthracite grey
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Anthracite grey
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Anthracite grey
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Anthracite grey
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Anthracite grey
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Anthracite grey
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Anthracite grey
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Anthracite grey
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Anthracite grey
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Anthracite grey
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Anthracite grey
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice