Explore the best black paint colors from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams, as selected by a professional paint color consultant.
There’s a reason black paint colors are so timeless. Whether it’s a striking black front door, a moody accent wall, or dramatic black cabinets, black adds depth and sophistication to a home that few other colors can match. It’s bold, yet neutral, and when it’s done right, it’s absolutely stunning.
But here’s the thing: not all blacks are created equal. Some are true, inky blacks, while others are soft blacks that read more like a deep charcoal in bright lighting. And even though black might seem like the ultimate neutral, most black paint colors have undertones – green, blue, even violet – that can make or break your color palette.
In today’s post, we’re sharing our favorite black paint colors from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore. These are the tried-and-true hues we use again and again in our clients’ homes, from front doors and cabinets to accent walls and full exteriors. Let’s dive in!
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Understanding Black Paint Colors
Before we get to our favorite black colors, let’s talk about what makes them different from one another – because the differences are bigger than you might think.
Soft blacks vs. true blacks
The easiest way to understand how dark a black paint color really is? Check its LRV. LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value, a measurement of how light (LRV = 100) or dark (LRV = 0) a color is. True blacks like SW Tricorn Black, SW Black Magic and SW Caviar sit at an LRV of about 3 — these are deep, crisp, saturated blacks. Soft blacks, on the other hand, have slightly higher LRVs and reflect a bit more light. Colors like SW Iron Ore (LRV 6), BM Wrought Iron (LRV 8.17) and BM Iron Mountain (LRV 10.96) are still very dark, but they read as softer and more muted — often more like a very dark charcoal, especially outdoors in bright sunlight.
Undertones matter
Most black paint colors have undertones, even if they’re nearly impossible to see on a paint chip.
Green undertones (like those in Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (Article) and Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain (Article) make a black feel warm, cozy and inviting. Blue undertones (like those in Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (Article) and Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart (Article) make a black lean cool. Others, like Sherwin-Williams Caviar, have violet undertones that are warmer than blue but not as warm as green. And some blacks, like Benjamin Moore Onyx (Article) and Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black, are truly neutral with little to no undertones at all, which makes them incredibly versatile with both warm and cool palettes.
Lighting changes everything
Because black paint colors are so dark and saturated, undertones are often practically invisible indoors. But outdoors or in rooms with lots of bright, natural light, those subtle greens and blues can become much more obvious.
Black paint colors also always look darker in the shade and softer in full sun. The best way to see a black paint color’s undertones and understand what it will actually look like in a space is to compare samples side by side in the light where you’ll actually use them.
9 Best Black Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams
Keep reading for a full breakdown of our favorite black hues for interiors and exteriors, presented from lightest (highest LRV) to darkest (lowest LRV)
Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain (LRV 10.96)
BM Iron Mountain (Article) is a very dark paint color, with an LRV of 10.96, but it’s still soft when it comes to black hues. It reflects much more light than a true black and, especially outdoors, looks almost like a dark charcoal gray.
Iron Mountain has strong green undertones that give the color a lot of warmth. In very bright light, this color can even look more like a very dark green than a soft black.
Iron Mountain looks beautiful as an accent color in a whole-house interior color scheme or as a dark exterior trim or even body paint.
In our client’s home pictured below, an Iron Mountain accent wall complements BM White Dove (Article) walls, trim, doors and ceilings.
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (LRV 8.17)
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (Article) is a gorgeous soft black paint color perfect for interior and exterior applications. With an LRV of 8.17, this color can be used for accent walls, accent rooms, black window frames, interior doors, and even cabinets.
Wrought Iron is truly one of my favorite black paint colors on the market. It’s a very neutral black, but it does have blue undertones. It’s hard to see these undertones indoors, which makes this hue flexible enough to pair with many colors and finishes. Even outdoors in the sunshine, the undertones are subtle.
In my client’s dining room below, Wrought Iron looks cool and muted but still very much black.
We also love using Wrought Iron for black interior doors, as seen in the client’s home below, featuring a BM Classic Gray color palette (Article).
Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart (LRV 6.9)
BM Cheating Heart (Article) is another soft black paint color with subtle, deep blue undertones. With an LRV of 6.9, it’s a beautiful option for exteriors or interior accents and looks different depending on the light.
Outdoors, I especially love pairing it with red brick or warm stone colors.
Indoors, it works best as an accent or wall color in small rooms with tons of natural light and lots of white trim and finishes to balance it, such as the bathroom below.
Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (LRV 6)
Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (Article) is a soft, muted black paint color that I absolutely love to use for exterior projects. With an LRV of 6 and subtle green undertones, it’s a very dark hue, but it’s warm and muted enough that it doesn’t look too harsh or overwhelming.
Iron Ore is one of the black paint colors I reach for the most when working with clients and even in my own home. In my office and studio, for example, an Iron Ore accent wall pairs beautifully with SW Cheviot walls.
Outdoors, Iron Ore still looks very dark. If that’s not the look you’re going for, or all of the surrounding homes in your neighborhood are very light, then it may feel too harsh. The home below, however, is absolutely gorgeous.
Benjamin Moore Black Beauty (LRV 5.32)
BM Black Beauty (Sample) is another gorgeous black paint color we love. This color is very dark and has a touch of warmth, with an LRV of 5.32 and subtle warm undertones.
Black Beauty is one of the more neutral colors we’re featuring in this post, and looks like a dark, crisp black outdoors. In the photo below, a Black Beauty exterior front door is paired with BM Iron Mountain (Article) siding.
Benjamin Moore Onyx (LRV 5)
BM Onyx (Article) is a dark black with minimal undertones. It’s a great paint color for a front door, an accent wall, a cabinet color or a dramatic office or living room.
Onyx is the most neutral of all the black paint colors featured in today’s list, with little to no undertones. It’s also one of the darkest, with an LRV of 5. It’s just a bit lighter than a true black and is a great option if you want a big, bold black paint color.
Because it’s so neutral, Onyx can pair with both warm and cool accents, but it tends to look best with warmer hues like the brown couch in the room below.
It’s a great option if you want a dark office paint color, which can be easier on your eyes if you work on a computer all day.
Sherwin-Williams Black Magic (LRV 3)
SW Black Magic (Sample) is typically considered a true black. With an LRV of 3, it’s one of the darkest black paint colors featured in this post. Black Magic has slightly warm undertones, and pairs well with color palettes that include other warm hues and finishes.
We most commonly use this black paint color for exteriors. On the client’s home below, for example, we used a Black Magic front door that perfectly complemented the home’s SW Green Onyx (Article) siding and SW Oyster White (Article) trim.
In the house below, with SW Rosemary siding, we used Black Magic as the trim color on a Victorian home with a modern twist!
Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black (LRV 3)
SW Tricorn Black (Sample) is another one of the darkest black paint colors on this list, with an LRV of 3. It also happens to be one of the most popular blacks of all time, with cool blue undertones that are almost impossible to see.
Tricorn Black is absolutely stunning as a black front door and is also one of our favorite dark hues to pair with red brick. On our client’s home below, for example, we paired a Tricorn Black door with warm brick and SW Intellectual Gray (Article) siding.
Sherwin-Williams Caviar (LRV 3)
The last color on our list of black hues is Sherwin-Williams Caviar. We actually don’t have any client photos of this color, but it’s absolutely beautiful. It has an LRV of 3, just like Tricorn Black and Black Magic, but it’s unique because it has very subtle violet undertones.
Sample Our Favorite Black Paint Colors
- Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain (LRV 10.96)
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (LRV 8.17)
- Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart (LRV 6.9)
- Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (LRV 6)
- Benjamin Moore Black Beauty (LRV 5.32)
- Benjamin Moore Onyx (LRV 5)
- Sherwin-Williams Black Magic (LRV 3)
- Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black (LRV 3)
- Sherwin-Williams Caviar (LRV 3)
We always recommend that you test paint colors (Article) in your home because lighting can completely change a color, both on interior and exterior paint color schemes.
In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess.
Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples!
- Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
- Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
- Delivered overnight
- Colors are accurate
- Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
- No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of
I use these in my color consulting practice for exact results. Discover Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples and sample all your favorite exterior house colors via the link below.
How To Pick A Black Paint Color
Now that you’ve got a list of black paint colors to start with, it’s important to understand how to choose the right hue for your project.
As the founder and lead color consultant of The Color Concierge, I’ve specified black paint colors for hundreds of client homes, and I’ve learned that choosing the right black comes down to a few key questions.
First, decide how dark you want to go.
If you want a deep, crisp, dramatic black, a true black paint color with an LRV around 3, like SW Tricorn Black, is the way to go. If you want something a little softer and more forgiving, especially for larger applications like siding or a whole accent room, a soft black like SW Iron Ore or BM Wrought Iron will give you that dark, moody look without feeling harsh.
Next, consider your undertones and fixed elements.
Remember: your black paint color doesn’t live in a vacuum. Outdoors, it needs to work with your brick, stone, roof, finishes, and the rest of your color palette. Indoors, it must coordinate with trim, furniture, decor, flooring, and other hard finishes.
Warm blacks with green undertones pair beautifully with warm whites, earthy hues, and natural wood. Cool blacks with blue undertones are gorgeous with red brick and warm stone, where the contrast makes both elements shine. And a truly neutral black like BM Onyx can bridge warm and cool palettes with ease.
Think about where the color will live.
A black front door or cabinet is a low-risk way to add drama. A black accent wall or a whole black room, on the other hand, needs tons of natural or artificial light and plenty of white trim and surfaces to keep it from feeling like a cave. And for exteriors, remember that even a soft black will still look very dark. If your neighborhood is full of light-colored homes, make sure that’s the statement you want to make. When it comes to interiors, a little bit of black can go a long way. If you already have alot of black in a room, keep those elements in mind as part of the total palette.
Finally, test your paint colors!
Black paint colors look remarkably similar on a paint chip, and their undertones only reveal themselves in your specific lighting. Paint large samples – or use Samplize peel-and-stick samples – compare them side by side, and look at them in the shade, in full sun, in the morning and in the evening. It’s the only way to know for sure that you’ve found your perfect black.
Key Learning Points
Choosing a black paint color can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right undertones, the right LRV, and a little testing, black might just become your favorite “neutral” of all.
- Black paint colors can be very neutral, but most have green, blue or violet undertones.
- Black paint colors can be very dark or softer and lighter. Pay attention to the LRV to understand how dark (or light) a black hue will look in your home.
- Don’t be afraid to use black walls indoors. Black walls look beautiful as an accent but can also work for entire rooms, especially smaller spaces like an office.
Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens. Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results from paint matching here.
No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice. Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors here.
Online Color Consulting
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Related Posts:
- Best Black Front Door Paint Colors
- Best Black Trim Colors for Red Brick
- Best Blue-Gray Paint Colors
- Best Green Paint Colors
About the Author
Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room.
Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person. I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, our Online Color Consultations will help you pick your paint colours. Thank you for your understanding.
