Sherwin-Williams Black Fox review (SW 7020)

What color is Black Fox?

Black Fox (SW 7020) is a soft black with clear warmth. Its LRV of 6.7 puts it among the near-blacks, but where Iron Ore reads as charcoal, Black Fox reads as a deep espresso-charcoal. It is the darkest color on the strip that starts with Repose Gray and Mindful Gray, which makes it a ready-made accent for homes already using those grays. Sherwin-Williams describes its undertone as a warm greige.

Black Fox undertones

Measured, Black Fox has a yellow–blue value of +4.7 and a green–red value of +1.8: the warmest and most brown of the popular soft blacks. That red-brown lean is what makes it feel cozy, and also why it can look brown, or even slightly plum, next to cool grays, white marble and chrome.

Black Fox LRV and light

At LRV 6.7 it absorbs most light. North light pushes it toward a deep brown-black; sun and warm bulbs bring out its espresso warmth.

Simulated from the manufacturer's color values. Always test a sample in your own light.

Best uses for Black Fox

Accent walls and offices

Sherwin-Williams suggests it for accent walls and well-lit offices, and it shines there: it adds drama while keeping a warm, enveloping feel, especially with wood shelves and leather.

Exteriors

Black Fox suits homes with warm brick, natural stone and cedar, where a cool charcoal could clash. In sun it reads as a warm dark brown-gray. Check siding guidance before using dark colors on vinyl.

Kitchen cabinets and built-ins

With walnut, oak, brass and warm white counters, Black Fox gives cabinets and built-ins a rich, furniture-like look.

Bedrooms and dining rooms

In larger, well-lit rooms it creates a moody, cocooning space. Pair it with warm bulbs to keep it from reading flat.

When to avoid Black Fox

Avoid Black Fox in crisp, cool schemes built on blue-gray, white marble and chrome: there it will look brown. If you want a neutral soft black, Iron Ore is the better fit. In small, dim rooms it can feel heavy on every wall.

Black Fox with wood, brick and stone

Black Fox is easiest to place next to warm natural materials, because its brown base already belongs to that family. Mid-tone oak, walnut and cedar look richer against it, where a cool charcoal can make orange-leaning oak look brassy. Red and tan brick, travertine and warm limestone sit comfortably beside it on an exterior.

The pairings to watch are gray-washed floors, blue-gray slate and cool white quartz with gray veining. Next to those, Black Fox shows its brown side much more strongly, and the room can look like two schemes meeting. If your fixed finishes are cool, test it beside them before you commit.

Black Fox pros and cons

Pros

• Warm enough to feel inviting, so it works on full walls where a pure black would feel severe.
• Ties a whole house together if you already use Repose Gray, Mindful Gray or Dorian Gray.
• Flattering with wood, leather, brass and warm brick.
• Hides scuffs and fingerprints better than lighter neutrals on doors and islands.

Cons

• Can read as brown, or slightly plum, in cool rooms and next to chrome or blue-gray stone.
• At LRV 6.7 it swallows light; dim rooms painted top to bottom can feel cave-like.
• Dark deep-base paint needs extra coats and shows lap marks, so cutting in and rolling need care.
• Not the pick if you want a neutral or modern black; it always carries warmth.

Best white trim for Black Fox

Sherwin-Williams lists Greek Villa and Eider White (SW 7014) as coordinating colors, and both suit Black Fox better than a stark white because they share its warmth. For crisper contrast, Pure White stays clean without looking cold.

Black Fox color strip

Black Fox hex code, RGB and LRV

Sherwin-Williams lists Black Fox (SW 7020) as hex #4F4842, RGB 79, 72, 66 and LRV 6.7.

Colors that go with Black Fox

Its coordinating colors are Eider White, Greek Villa and the olive-yellow Cool Avocado. Because it shares a strip with Repose Gray, Mindful Gray and Dorian Gray, any of those works as the main wall color with Black Fox on doors, an island or a feature wall.

Black Fox vs other soft blacks

Black Fox vs Urbane Bronze

Urbane Bronze (LRV 8.1) is a little lighter and grayer. The two are 3.1 apart, close enough that only a side-by-side sample shows it: Black Fox looks redder and more espresso, Urbane Bronze more bronze-gray. So yes, Black Fox is the darker of the two.

Black Fox vs Iron Ore

Iron Ore (LRV 5.5) is slightly darker and almost perfectly neutral, 4.8 apart. Choose Iron Ore for a charcoal-black that suits cool or modern schemes; choose Black Fox when the room is full of wood and warm whites.

Black Fox vs Sealskin

Sealskin (SW 7675, LRV 5.6) is the nearest Sherwin-Williams color at 2.2 apart. It is a touch darker with the same warm brown cast, so it is the swap if Black Fox looks too light on your siding.

Black Fox vs Peppercorn

Peppercorn (LRV 9.7) is lighter and a true neutral gray, 7.0 apart. It is the better choice when you want depth without any brown.

Black Fox vs Tricorn Black

Tricorn Black (SW 6258, LRV 2.8) is a true black, 10 apart. Black Fox is the soft, warm version of dark; Tricorn Black is the crisp, graphic one.

How to test Black Fox before you paint

Because Black Fox shifts between brown and charcoal, test it where the decision is hardest. Paint two coats on a large sample board and hold it next to the floor, counters or brick that will stay. Check it in the morning, at midday and under your evening bulbs: warm 2700K lighting brings out the espresso, while north light at noon shows its grayest side. Place a Sealskin or Urbane Bronze sample beside it so you can see which direction you prefer. Our undertone guide explains how to read a dark color against white paper.

Colors similar to Black Fox

Sealskin (SW 7675) is the closest Sherwin-Williams color, 2.2 apart. No Benjamin Moore color in our data comes within 5; Wrought Iron (2124-10) is the nearest, and it is noticeably cooler.

ΔE is the CIEDE2000 color difference between the two manufacturer colors: around 1 is barely visible; 2–3 is visible when the chips sit side by side.

Black Fox FAQs