Dutch Cocoa vs Fountain
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Dutch Cocoa reads as grey, while Fountain reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Fountain (LRV 39) reflects noticeably more light than Dutch Cocoa (LRV 18), a difference of 21 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Dutch Cocoa runs warm while Fountain is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 45.9, 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 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dutch Cocoa vs Fountain in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Dutch Cocoa and Fountain 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 Fountain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Dutch Cocoa would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Fountain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dutch Cocoa.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Fountain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dutch Cocoa.
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. Fountain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Fountain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dutch Cocoa.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Fountain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dutch Cocoa.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Fountain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Fountain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Fountain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dutch Cocoa.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Fountain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Dutch Cocoa would.
Color Details
Dutch Cocoa vs Fountain Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dutch Cocoa on one side and Fountain 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 Dutch Cocoa comparisons
See how Dutch Cocoa stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 18, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
At LRV 18 vs 6, Dutch Cocoa is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 18, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 18, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (27 vs 18) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
Dutch Cocoa reflects far more light (LRV 18 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 18, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (18 vs 13) makes Dutch Cocoa the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 18, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 18, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 18, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 18, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Dutch Cocoa the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 18, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Dutch Cocoa the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 18, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.
Dutch Cocoa reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 18), opening up a space where Dutch Cocoa encloses it.