Onyx vs Licorice
Onyx (PPG) and Licorice (Tikkurila) 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 7 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 2.4 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Onyx vs Licorice in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Onyx 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
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.
Color Details
Onyx vs Licorice Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Onyx 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 Onyx comparisons
See how Onyx stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 6), opening up a space where Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 6, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 6, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
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 Onyx encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 6), opening up a space where Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 6, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 6), opening up a space where Onyx encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 6), opening up a space where Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 6, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 6), opening up a space where Onyx encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 6), opening up a space where Onyx encloses it.
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 Onyx encloses it.
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 Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 6, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.