Boulder Creek vs Artichoke
Boulder Creek (PPG) and Artichoke (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Boulder Creek reads as greige-grey, while Artichoke reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 21-point LRV gap — 42 for Boulder Creek vs 21 for Artichoke — means Boulder Creek will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 20.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Boulder Creek vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Boulder Creek and Artichoke 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
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. Boulder Creek reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
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. Boulder Creek returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Boulder Creek returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Boulder Creek returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Boulder Creek returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Boulder Creek reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
Color Details
Boulder Creek vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Boulder Creek on one side and Artichoke 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 Boulder Creek comparisons
See how Boulder Creek stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 42, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
Boulder Creek reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (52 vs 42) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 12-point LRV gap (42 vs 30) makes Boulder Creek the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 42), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 42, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
Boulder Creek reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 43 vs 42), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 42 vs 4, Boulder Creek is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
Boulder Creek reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
With LRVs of 44 and 42, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 42, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (51 vs 42) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Boulder Creek reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Boulder Creek reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 42), opening up a space where Boulder Creek encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 42 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Boulder Creek reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 42), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 11-point LRV gap (42 vs 31) makes Boulder Creek the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 42 vs 7, Boulder Creek is decisively the brighter choice.