Elderberry vs Darkroom
Elderberry (Cloverdale Paint) and Darkroom (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 6 vs 5 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 2.5 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elderberry vs Darkroom in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Elderberry and Darkroom 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Elderberry vs Darkroom Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elderberry on one side and Darkroom 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 Elderberry comparisons
See how Elderberry stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 6, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
With LRVs of 6 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 6, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 6, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 6, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 6, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 6 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 6, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 6, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 6, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 8 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 6, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 6), opening up a space where Elderberry encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 6, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.