Peppercorn Paint Color, by Sherwin Williams

Peppercorn is a popular Sherwin Williams gray paint color.  

It is a soft and smokey paint shade that works well on home exteriors, cabinets, accent walls, and doors. 

Peppercorn is a part of the Top 50 Colors, and Finest Whites & Neutrals (Cool Neutrals).

If you are looking for a dark gray paint color, keep reading for all the details on Sherwin Williams Peppercorn. 

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What Color is Peppercorn Paint, by Sherwin Williams?

Peppercorn is a very dark gray paint color.  It is rich and luxe, and also has a very classic sort of look to it.

Peppercorn is a soft gray, even though it is dark. It doesn’t have a lot of harshness to it, but still is a bold paint color due to its depth.

Peppercorn Undertones

Peppercorn is a gray paint color with purple and blue undertones.

Overall, Peppercorn is pretty balanced, and you won’t see these undertones too strongly.

Peppercorn LRV

Peppercorn has an LRV of 10.  

LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value, and is a measure on a scale that gives information about how light or dark a paint color is.

Technically, the LRV scale tells us how much light a color reflects back into the room. A paint color with an LRV of 0 absorbs all of the light, while a paint color with an LRV of 100 reflects all of the light that hits it.

As you can see, an LRV of 10 is very low on the scale.

So Peppercorn is a very dark paint color.

Is Peppercorn Warm or Cool?

Peppercorn is a gray paint color that has purple and blue undertones, but overall, it doesn’t really lean warm or cool.

Instead, Peppercorn is balanced.

Peppercorn is a dark, steely paint color that reminds me of the color of dark metal.  

What Color Goes with Peppercorn?

Peppercorn works with whites, creams, yellows, grays with similar undertones, blush pinks, greens, blue greens, blues, and purples.  

Peppercorn is a very versatile neutral paint color.

For specific colors that Peppercorn works well with, Sherwin Williams recommends Nebulous White, a light gray paint color, Windfresh White, a light off-white, and Willow Tree, a light green color.

Trim Paint Colors for Peppercorn

If you’re looking for a trim paint color to go with Sherwin Williams Peppercorn, check out High Reflective White and Pure White.  

Pure White and High Reflective White are my top two Sherwin Williams paint colors for trim because they go with almost any other paint color.

This means that they are very versatile if you ever want to repaint your walls.

Pure White is a soft white paint color with gray and yellow undertones.  Pure White is a clean white, but isn’t as stark as High Reflective White.

High Reflective White is Sherwin Williams lightest and brightest white paint color.  It is almost undertone free, and just looks clean and white.

Where Can I Use Sherwin Williams Peppercorn?

Peppercorn is a perfect paint color to use as an accent shade in your home.

I wouldn’t typically recommend using Peppercorn for an entire room – it’s just a bit too dark for the average room.

But, Peppercorn is a great paint color for cabinets, doors, furniture, and accent walls. It is also great for home exteriors like front doors, shutters, trim and railings.  

How Does Peppercorn Compare to Other Gray Paint Colors?

When I look at a paint color, I always like to compare it to other popular paint colors that have similar uses.

This can be helpful for people who are trying to decide between a few different paint colors. In this instance, we’ll look at Peppercorn in comparison to other dark neutrals.

So, let’s look at Peppercorn in comparison to Iron Ore, Urbane Bronze, and Tricorn Black.

Peppercorn vs. Iron Ore

Iron Ore is a popular soft black paint color by Sherwin Williams. Iron Ore is a darker shade than Peppercorn.

When you compare Iron Ore to Peppercorn, you see that Peppercorn looks lighter than Iron Ore.

Both have a softness to them, but Peppercorn looks more colorful – you see the varied undertones in it when you compare it to Iron Ore.

Now, that isn’t to say that it looks more purple or more blue than Iron Ore, just that you can see that Peppercorn isn’t a true gray.

If you want a shade that is more tried and true, and less likely to clash with things, Iron Ore is a better choice. But if you don’t want something quite so dark, Peppercorn is a pretty option.

Click here for all the details on Iron Ore.

Peppercorn vs. Urbane Bronze

Urbane Bronze is a dark brown paint color with a heavy dose of charcoal in it. Both Peppercorn and Urbane Bronze are dark neutrals, but which one you prefer will depend on what sort of neutral that you want.

If you want a brown sort of neutral, Urbane Bronze is about the best pick you can find. It is interesting and bold.

But, if you want a gray shade, Peppercorn is better.

Click here for all the details on Urbane Bronze.

Peppercorn vs. Tricorn Black

Tricorn Black is a true black paint color by Sherwin Williams. It is dark and inky, a quintessential black paint color.

Truly, Tricorn Black is much darker than Peppercorn. While Peppercorn will be a bold and transitional paint color, Tricorn Black will be a strong foundational color.

Tricorn Black will be the darkest shade in any space, while Peppercorn can almost act as a mid-tone shade in many rooms.

Click here for all the details on Tricorn Black.

Wondering How To Pick the Perfect Paint Color?

I have the best solution for you!

Samplize sells peel and stick paint samples in almost every paint color.

These no-mess, peel and stick sheets are made from real paint, so they will show you exactly what the paint color will look like.

Simply place them on your walls next to your trim, furnishings or fixed elements, and easily see which paint color works best in your space and with your lighting.

Then, peel the sheet off your wall and reapply it somewhere else if you like. You can try several different paint colors with no mess, no fuss and no cleaning paint brushes.

Oh, and you can have them in your home by tomorrow with OVERNIGHT shipping!

As a bonus, be sure to use the code LoveRemodeled10 at check out to get an extra 10% off! Samplize sheets are cheaper than a sample can of paint, and way less work.

They are the easiest (and fastest!) way to try a paint color in your home, with no hassle.

Final Thoughts on Sherwin Williams Peppercorn

Peppercorn is one of Sherwin Williams most popular gray paint colors. It is soft and luxe, despite being bold and dramatic.

If you are looking for a smokey and balanced gray paint color for your space, Peppercorn should be on your short list! 

Want to see all your paint options in one convenient place? Click here to get everything you need to start painting, including Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint color decks!

Thanks for sharing!