Rock Bottom vs Licorice
Rock Bottom is a Sherwin-Williams color while Licorice comes from Tikkurila. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 7 and 7, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 2.2, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Rock Bottom vs Licorice in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Rock Bottom and Licorice 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.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
Rock Bottom vs Licorice Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Rock Bottom on one side and Licorice 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 Rock Bottom comparisons
See how Rock Bottom stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 7, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 7, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 7, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 7, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 7, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 7, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 8 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 7, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where Rock Bottom encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 7, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.