Artichoke vs Embellished Blue
Artichoke and Embellished Blue come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Artichoke belongs to the grey family and Embellished Blue to the blue-green family. The 58-point LRV gap — 79 for Embellished Blue vs 21 for Artichoke — means Embellished Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Artichoke leans neutral, Embellished Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 40.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Artichoke vs Embellished Blue in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Artichoke and Embellished Blue 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. Embellished Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Embellished Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Embellished Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Embellished Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Embellished Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Embellished Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
Color Details
Artichoke vs Embellished Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Artichoke on one side and Embellished Blue 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 Artichoke comparisons
See how Artichoke stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 21, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 21, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (27 vs 21) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 21, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 21, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 21, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 21, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 21, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 21, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Artichoke reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 24 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.