Black Emerald vs Thistle
Black Emerald and Thistle come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Black Emerald reads as blue-green, while Thistle reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 29-point LRV gap — 30 for Thistle vs 1 for Black Emerald — means Thistle will open up a space more effectively. Both share a cool character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 54.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Emerald vs Thistle in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Black Emerald and Thistle 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. Thistle reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Emerald.
Color Details
Black Emerald vs Thistle Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Emerald on one side and Thistle 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 Black Emerald comparisons
See how Black Emerald stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 1, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (6 vs 1) makes Iron Ore the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 1, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 1, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 1, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Naval reads slightly lighter (LRV 4 vs 1), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 1, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 12-point LRV gap (13 vs 1) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 1, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Artichoke reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 1, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 1, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 1, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (12 vs 1) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 1, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Treron reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (12 vs 1) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 1, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Pine Needle reads slightly lighter (LRV 7 vs 1), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 1), opening up a space where Black Emerald encloses it.