Stepping Stone vs Artichoke
Stepping Stone (PPG) and Artichoke (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 18-point LRV gap — 39 for Stepping Stone vs 21 for Artichoke — means Stepping Stone will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 20.6 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.
Stepping Stone vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Stepping Stone 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. Stepping Stone 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. Stepping Stone 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. Stepping Stone 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. Stepping Stone 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. Stepping Stone 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. Stepping Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
Color Details
Stepping Stone vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Stepping Stone 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 Stepping Stone comparisons
See how Stepping Stone stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 39, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
Stepping Stone reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 39, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (39 vs 30) makes Stepping Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 39, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
Stepping Stone reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (43 vs 39) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 39 vs 4, Stepping Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
Stepping Stone reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 39, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (51 vs 39) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Stepping Stone reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Stepping Stone reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 39), opening up a space where Stepping Stone encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 41 vs 39), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Stepping Stone reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 8-point LRV gap (39 vs 31) makes Stepping Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 39 vs 7, Stepping Stone is decisively the brighter choice.