Looking for the perfect black paint colors for your home? Here are my best tips for choosing the perfect black paint color and the best black paint colors for your home!
Light and bright homes are always in style, but right now, dark and moody rooms are having quite the moment.
If you are feeling bold, painting a room in your home black can be incredibly chic!
But, kind of like picking a white paint color, black paint colors are not one size fits all.
Let’s talk about how to pick a black paint color for your home and take a look at some of the best examples of black paint colors in real homes!
Be sure to check out the best black spray paints!
How do I choose a shade of black paint?
The easiest way to get a feel for a black paint color is to get a paint strip for that color.
Follow it up to lighter shades. Suddenly it’s easier to see the brown, green, or blue undertones!
Here’s my complete guide to paint undertones!
Additionally, know that some colors are black and some are actually more like really dark gray!
The easiest way to tell this is to get a black swatch and hold it up to something true black – such as a turned off TV screen. Suddenly the undertones pop out!
What colors go well with black?
Black is a neutral color that can go with almost any other color palette.
My big suggestion is to go with lighter colors to provide that contrast of tone. So, if you want to pair black with a green, go with a pastel to medium toned green, not a forest green!
As far as picking accent colors, I suggest looking at the undertones of the black paint color that you are using and choose colors that coordinate with or complement that tone!
What is the best black paint?
The best black paint will depend on where you want to use it and the light conditions and existing fixtures in your home.
My general process for picking a wall paint color is:
- Get paper swatches
- Hold them up all over the room
- Pick 3-5 to get samples of
- Paint on multiple walls, look at it day and night, lights on and light off
- Pick a color
You can read ALL about my paint color formula here!
What is the blackest interior paint color?
Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black is a very true black with a Light Reflective Value of 2.45. That means that only 2.5 percent of light bounces back off the color – making it pretty majorly dark!
What is the best black paint color for walls?
The best black paint color for walls will be one that the undertones coordinate with the existing features in your room.
What is the best black paint color for furniture?
I like a nice pure black for furniture. Tricorn Black is a great option for this! I also spray paint a lot of smaller furniture. Here’s the best black spray paints.
What is the best black paint color for the front door?
Once again, you are going to want to choose a black paint with undertones that match or coordinate with the color of your home’s siding, brick, or stone outer finish.
Also consider how much bright light the space gets – charcoals can look much lighter or darker based on lighting!
What is the best black paint color for cabinets?
Pick a black paint color that complements your existing features like countertops, flooring, and backsplash. If there are black elements, I’d suggest comparing those specifically to the paint samples to be sure you have a good match or at least they don’t clash.
Popular Black Paint Colors
Some of the most popular black paint colors are:
| Paint Color | LRV* | Warm/Cool | Undertones |
| Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black | 2.45 | Warm | None |
| Sherwin Williams Iron Ore | 6.00 | Cool | Charcoal, Blue |
| Sherwin Williams Caviar | 3.00 | Warm | Brown |
| Sherwin Williams Black Magic | 3.00 | Warm | Red |
| Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron | 6.16 | Cool | Charcoal, Blue |
*Light Reflective Value measures the percent of light that is shone at a color that bounces back. The lower the number, the darker/”truer black” the color is!
Sherwin Williams Caviar vs Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
Caviar is going to read as warmer than Tricorn black, and slightly more brown toned. They are about the same level of darkness.
Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black vs Sherwin Williams Black Magic
Black magic looks very warm and almost reddish next to the true black of Tricorn Black. Caviar is going to read as warmer than Tricorn black, and slightly more brown toned. They are about the same level of darkness.
Sherwin Williams Iron Ore vs Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
BM Wrought Iron is a very deep charcoal looking gray. It skews slightly cool with blue undertones. Iron Ore is ever so slightly lighter but is a very similar deep charcoal option.
Sherwin Williams Black magic vs Sherwin Williams Tricorn black
Black Magic is going to seem black until you put it next to Tricorn Black! Suddenly you will see the reddish and warm undertones in Black Magic!
My favorite black paint colors
Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
LRV
2.45
Undertones
Slightly warm
What I like about this color
Tricorn Black is considered an extremely neutral, true black paint color. It does not have strong undertones. This means that it holds its color in different lighting.
The lack of undertones makes this a super safe choice for those looking for a true black paint color.
This is a popular color for trim work, doors, and accent walls. It can be used on home exteriors but usually smaller homes, since it reflects so little light it can look like a big black void.
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Tricorn Black.
Sherwin Williams Iron Ore
LRV
6.0
Undertones
Cool toned, charcoal and blue undertones.
What I like about this color
Next to some of the more true blacks, you can see that Iron Ore is really like a deep dark charcoal gray. It’s a full shade lighter than the true blacks, but when it’s paired with lighter colors – and not blacks – it looks black to the naked eye.
The slightly lighter color makes this black shade a lot softer and less harsh on the eye – good if you don’t want a color that reads as tooooo dark.
Beware that in a room with lots of light, this color will look more gray, while in darker spaces it will appear more black.
Read my complete Iron Ore review.
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Iron Ore.
Sherwin Williams Caviar
LRV
3.00
Undertones
Warm, brown
What I like about this color
Caviar is a super dark black paint color – almost as dark as Tricorn Black.
This shade is very neutral – but skews ever so slightly brown when next to a pure black. If your space has warm, southern facing natural light, it might bring out the brown tones. Always swatch colors before committing!
If you want a true black, I’d sample both Caviar and Tricorn Black in your space to see which sits better in your lighting.
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Caviar.
Sherwin Williams Black Magic
LRV
3.0
Undertones
Warm, red
What I like about this color
Black Magic has the same LRV/color depth as Caviar at a 3.0. This means they are the same darkness of black. In fact, these colors look almost identical to the eye.
However, Black Magic is slightly warmer toned, with just a touch of red to it compared to some of the others.
If you decorate your home with warm toned colors and materials, this can be great and can help the colors blend seamlessly.
If you decorated with cool tones, the warmth of Black Magic will be a bit more obvious and might not be the best fit for your space.
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Black Magic.
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
LRV
6.16
Undertones
Cool, Charcoal gray
What I like about this color
Wrought Iron is another example of a deep charcoal gray color. It reads as black on its own, though it is really a shade lighter than black. This makes it a bit softer, more muted, and easier to decorate with.
Remember that very light spaces will bring out the gray, while darker spaces will have it looking more true black.
This is a really great option for pairing with creamy light accents where you don’t want anything too stark or harsh. It’s a super popular color for doors and windows for that reason!
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron.
Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart
LRV
6.89
Undertones
Cool, blue gray
What I like about this color
This color is a deep charcoal gray that can sometimes read as black and sometimes almost navy blue.
In a dark room, it will look more true black, while in a brighter room, the gray and blue undertones will be more evident.
If you love blues and decorate with a cooler color scheme, Cheating Heart could be the perfect black option.
Remember – if you don’t pair it with a pure black, it will look pretty darn black. This is not a BLUE color.
But, next to a more pure black, you will see those tones.
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Cheating Heart.
Benjamin Moore French Beret
LRV
7.11
Undertones
Cool gray, blue
What I like about this color
This is another deep charcoal gray that leans towards black in the right lighting.
I think it is a beautiful soft black paint color option that is often easier to decorate with and less harsh than a pure black.
While it has cool undertones, it is still pretty neutral and doesn’t read as overly blue at all.
Click here to get a peel and stick sample of French Beret.
Behr Beluga
LRV
5
Undertones
Warm greige undertones
What I like about this color
Beluga is a very dark charcoal gray paint color. It has muted undertones that are greige – gray but warm toned with a bit of brown to it.
This color really warms up in natural light. In darker lighting, it will look more black. But, it has just enough softness to it to keep it from feeling too dark.
Behr Black Suede
LRV
6
Undertones
Warm, green
What I like about this color
Black Suede is another off-black color with soft, warm undertones. It almost has a bit of green to it.
This makes it great for boho or natural inspired spaces that decorate or layer with green accessories.
Behr Totally Black
LRV
5
Undertones
Cool, blue
What I like about this color
This is another deep dark charcoal gray color with blue undertones. Technically, it’s a navy blue, though it doesn’t read as blue – unless you pair it with a true black.
I love this as a soft black paint color to use in homes with blue or cool toned accents. If you have warm toned flooring, tile, or other decor, beware that this color might look a bit more blue toned.
Valspar Dark Kettle Black
LRV
2.328
Undertones
Cool, blue
What I like about this color
This is a very dark black paint color with slightly cool gray undertones. In certain light it can read as a deep navy blue.
Be sure to notice Valspar has 2 different colors – Kettle Black and Dark Kettle Black. Dark Kettle Black is MUCH darker and truer gray than it’s counterpart!
Farrow & Ball Off-Black
LRV
3.3
Undertones
Warm gray
What I like about this color
This black is slightly soft, making it less stark and easy to decorate with. It is close to a charcoal gray but still would feel black in most any space.
However, It doesn’t have the blue tones that some other similar blacks have. It feels warm, rich, cozy, and inviting.
What’s your favorite black paint color?!
Still not sure what paint color to choose?
My Paint Color Formula ebook walks you through the painless process of expertly testing paint swatches to ensure you have the perfect color for your home.
The best way to sample paint? Samplize!
Get peel-and-stick removable and reusable paint samples here!
Thanks for reading!
Morgan is passionate about home decor and paint colors. She has been sharing DIY home decor tips since 2012 at CharlestonCrafted.com. From there, she learned to love paint colors, and the Paint Color Project was born in 2022!