Black blue vs Artichoke
Black blue is a RAL Classic color while Artichoke comes from Sherwin-Williams. Black blue reads as blue, while Artichoke reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 21 vs 5, Artichoke will read as the brighter of the two — a 17-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 48.3, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black blue vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black blue 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.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Artichoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black blue would.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Artichoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Artichoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black blue would.
Color Details
Black blue vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black blue 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 Black blue comparisons
See how Black blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
