Artifact vs Tarragon paint color comparison

Artifact vs Tarragon

ArtifactSherwin-WilliamsvsTarragonSherwin-WilliamsΔE 36.5 — Very different colors

Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Artifact reads as beige-greige, while Tarragon reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Artifact (LRV 23) reflects noticeably more light than Tarragon (LRV 7), a difference of 16 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Artifact runs warm while Tarragon is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 36.5, 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.

Artifact vs Tarragon in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Artifact and Tarragon 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

In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Artifact will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Tarragon would.

ArtifactA organic modern living room painted in Artifact

@mybudgetrecipes

TarragonSherwin Williams Tarragon living room paint review

Michelle Monroe Interiors

Dining Room

A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Artifact returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

ArtifactArtifact paint in a traditional dining room

@mybudgetrecipes

TarragonSherwin Williams Tarragon dining room paint

@mimasdiydecorandmuchmore

Color Details

Artifact
Sherwin-Williams · 6138
LRV23.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6138
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Tarragon
Sherwin-Williams · 9660
LRV7.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9660
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Artifact vs Tarragon Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Artifact on one side and Tarragon 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.