Darkroom vs Quixotic Plum
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Darkroom belongs to the grey family and Quixotic Plum to the blue-grey family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (5 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Darkroom runs neutral while Quixotic Plum is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 7.9 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Darkroom vs Quixotic Plum in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Darkroom and Quixotic Plum are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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 Quixotic Plum and Darkroom is what sets these apart most in this context.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Quixotic Plum brings more warmth to the space, while Darkroom keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Quixotic Plum brings more warmth to the space, while Darkroom keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Darkroom vs Quixotic Plum Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Darkroom on one side and Quixotic Plum 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.