Artichoke vs Positive Red
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Artichoke belongs to the grey family and Positive Red to the pink-red family. Artichoke (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Positive Red (LRV 11), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Artichoke runs neutral while Positive Red is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 61.1, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Artichoke vs Positive Red in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Artichoke and Positive Red in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Artichoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Positive Red.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Artichoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Positive Red would.
Color Details
Artichoke vs Positive Red Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Artichoke on one side and Positive Red 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.
