Traffic black vs Shoji White

Traffic blackRAL ClassicvsShoji WhiteSherwin-WilliamsΔE 72.8Very different colors

Traffic black (RAL Classic) and Shoji White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Traffic black belongs to the grey family and Shoji White to the beige-greige family. The 70-point LRV gap — 74 for Shoji White vs 4 for Traffic black — means Shoji White will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 72.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Traffic black vs Shoji White in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Traffic black and Shoji White 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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Traffic black.

Traffic blackRAL Classic Traffic black 9017 living room

@tomdecor_biesbrouck

Shoji WhiteShoji White SW 7042 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Traffic blackRAL Classic Traffic black 9017 garage door

@_annaleooo_

Shoji WhiteShoji White house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Traffic black
RAL Classic · RAL 9017
Hex#29292A
LRV3.9
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 9017
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams · 7042
Hex#E6DFD3
LRV74.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7042
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Traffic black vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Traffic black on one side and Shoji White 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 Traffic black comparisons

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

White Dove
Traffic black
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Traffic black
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Traffic black
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Traffic black
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Traffic black
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Traffic black
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Traffic black
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Traffic black
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Traffic black
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Traffic black
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Traffic black
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Traffic black
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Traffic black
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Traffic black
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Traffic black
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Traffic black
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Traffic black
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Traffic black
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Traffic black
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Traffic black
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Traffic black
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Traffic black
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Traffic black
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Traffic black
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Traffic black
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Traffic black
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Traffic black
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Pine Needle reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Traffic black
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Traffic black
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Just Walnut
Traffic black
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice