Traffic grey A vs Artichoke

Traffic grey ARAL ClassicvsArtichokeSherwin-WilliamsΔE 16.9Distinct difference

Traffic grey A (RAL Classic) and Artichoke (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 9-point LRV gap — 31 for Traffic grey A vs 21 for Artichoke — means Traffic grey A will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 16.9 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.

Traffic grey A vs Artichoke in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Traffic grey A 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

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. Traffic grey A reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.

Traffic grey ARAL Classic Traffic grey A 7042 living room

@reninaraci

ArtichokeWarm green accent wall Sherwin Williams Artichoke SW 6179

@jess.esmith

Front Door

On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Traffic grey A reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.

Traffic grey ARAL Classic Traffic grey A 7042 front door

@technicolourspraying

ArtichokeSherwin Williams SW 6179 front door paint

@rachel__serene

Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Traffic grey A returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Traffic grey ARAL Classic 7042 kitchen cabinets color review

@mjb.decorating

ArtichokeSherwin Williams SW 6179 kitchen cabinets paint

@thevandivervilla

Color Details

Traffic grey A
RAL Classic · RAL 7042
Hex#8E9291
LRV30.9
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7042
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams · 6179
Hex#7F8266
LRV21.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6179
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Traffic grey A vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Traffic grey A on one side and Artichoke 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 grey A comparisons

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

White Dove
Traffic grey A
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Traffic grey A
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Traffic grey A
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Traffic grey A is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Traffic grey A
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Traffic grey A
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nearly identical in tone

Mizzle
Traffic grey A
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Traffic grey A
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Traffic grey A
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Traffic grey A
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Traffic grey A reads slightly lighter

French Gray
Traffic grey A
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Naval
Traffic grey A
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Traffic grey A is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Traffic grey A
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Bancha
Traffic grey A
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Traffic grey A reads noticeably lighter

Hardwick White
Traffic grey A
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White reads noticeably lighter

Pure White
Traffic grey A
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Traffic grey A
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Traffic grey A
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Traffic grey A
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Traffic grey A
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Traffic grey A reads noticeably lighter

Skimming Stone
Traffic grey A
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Traffic grey A
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reads slightly lighter

Calamine
Traffic grey A
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Traffic grey A
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Traffic grey A reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Traffic grey A
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Traffic grey A reads noticeably lighter

Saybrook Sage
Traffic grey A
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Traffic grey A
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Pine Needle
Traffic grey A
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Traffic grey A reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Traffic grey A
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Traffic grey A reads slightly lighter

Guilford Green
Traffic grey A
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Just Walnut
Traffic grey A
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice