Black Emerald vs Tricorn Black
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Black Emerald belongs to the blue-green family and Tricorn Black to the grey family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (1 vs 3), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Black Emerald runs cool while Tricorn Black is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 11.7, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Emerald vs Tricorn Black in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Emerald and Tricorn Black 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 temperature contrast between Tricorn Black and Black Emerald is what sets these apart most in this context.
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. Tricorn Black brings more warmth to the space, while Black Emerald keeps things cooler and crisper.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Tricorn Black brings more warmth to the space, while Black Emerald keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Black Emerald vs Tricorn Black Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Emerald on one side and Tricorn Black 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.