Cracked Pepper vs Portsmouth
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Cracked Pepper reads as grey, while Portsmouth reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Portsmouth (LRV 22) reflects noticeably more light than Cracked Pepper (LRV 5), a difference of 17 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Cracked Pepper runs warm while Portsmouth is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 29.8, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cracked Pepper vs Portsmouth in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Cracked Pepper and Portsmouth in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Portsmouth reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cracked Pepper.
Color Details
Cracked Pepper vs Portsmouth Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cracked Pepper on one side and Portsmouth 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.