Sherwin-Williams Peppercorn review (SW 7674)

What color is Peppercorn?

Peppercorn (SW 7674) is a dark charcoal gray. With an LRV of 9.7 it is deep enough for drama but clearly reads as gray, not black, which sets it apart from near-blacks like Iron Ore (5.5). It is the darkest color on its Sherwin-Williams strip, below Gray Matters, Cityscape and Grizzle Gray. Sherwin-Williams calls it evenly balanced between warm and cool.

Peppercorn undertones

Our measurement agrees with Sherwin-Williams: Peppercorn's green–red and yellow–blue values are both 0.0, a mathematically neutral gray. In practice that means it takes its cue from the room. Beside warm wood and brass it looks slightly cool; beside blue fabric or cool marble it looks slightly warm. It will not turn brown or blue on its own.

Peppercorn LRV and light

At LRV 9.7 Peppercorn sits at the light end of the dark colors. North light makes it a deep, slightly cool charcoal; sun shows its true gray. Under warm bulbs at night it softens.

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

Best uses for Peppercorn

Exteriors

On siding Peppercorn reads as a classic dark gray from the street; sun lifts it toward a mid charcoal. It pairs naturally with white or soft-white trim and a black or wood front door. As with any dark siding, check vinyl manufacturer guidance on dark colors.

Kitchen cabinets and islands

Its neutrality makes Peppercorn easy to pair with both white quartz and warm butcher block. It suits an island, lower cabinets or a full dark kitchen with brass, nickel or black hardware.

Accent walls, offices and media rooms

A Peppercorn wall gives depth without the heaviness of a near-black, which suits media rooms and offices with good light.

Bathroom vanities and built-ins

On a vanity or built-in shelving it reads as a tailored charcoal that works with white tile and any metal finish.

When to avoid Peppercorn

If you want walls to read as black, Peppercorn will look gray; choose Iron Ore or Tricorn Black instead. In a small, dim room it can feel heavy across all four walls. And if your scheme is built on warm browns and creams, a warmer dark such as Urbane Bronze blends more easily.

Does Peppercorn look blue?

It can look faintly blue, but the paint is not blue. Because Peppercorn has no undertone of its own, it reads cooler next to anything warm: oak floors, beige stone, a cream sofa. North light and daylight LED bulbs add to that effect. If you want a charcoal that stays warm in those settings, Kendall Charcoal or Urbane Bronze are safer; if you like a cool look, Peppercorn will lean into it without becoming a true blue-gray.

Peppercorn pros and cons

Pros

• A true neutral, so it suits warm and cool finishes in the same house.
• Dark enough for strong contrast with white trim, but not as heavy as a near-black.
• Reads as a clean, modern charcoal on siding, doors and cabinets.

Cons

• Can look cold or slightly blue beside warm wood and beige.
• Flat in dim, north-facing rooms, where there is no undertone to give it life.
• Shows dust and light scratches more than near-black colors on high-touch cabinets.

Best white trim for Peppercorn

Nebulous White (SW 7063), one of its coordinating colors, is a clean, slightly cool white that keeps Peppercorn crisp. Extra White gives the strongest contrast; Alabaster gives a softer, warmer frame.

Peppercorn color strip

Peppercorn hex code, RGB and LRV

Sherwin-Williams lists Peppercorn (SW 7674) as hex #585858, RGB 88, 88, 88 and LRV 9.7.

Colors that go with Peppercorn

Sherwin-Williams pairs Peppercorn with Nebulous White, Windfresh White and the soft green-gray Willow Tree. Its strip-mates Gray Matters and Cityscape make an easy lighter wall color for the same scheme.

Peppercorn vs other dark neutrals

Peppercorn vs Iron Ore

Iron Ore (LRV 5.5) is much darker and reads as a soft black, 7.4 apart. So Iron Ore is the darker color; Peppercorn is the charcoal. Our Iron Ore vs Peppercorn comparison covers rooms and pairings.

Peppercorn vs Urbane Bronze

Urbane Bronze (LRV 8.1) is a little darker and visibly browner, 4.6 apart. Pick Urbane Bronze for warmth, Peppercorn for a neutral gray.

Peppercorn vs Forged Steel

Forged Steel (SW 9565, LRV 10.5) is almost a twin at 1.6 apart: a shade lighter with a whisper of warmth.

Peppercorn vs Grizzle Gray

Grizzle Gray (SW 7068, LRV 12.8) is lighter and slightly green, 5.1 apart. It is softer on full walls.

Peppercorn vs Kendall Charcoal

Kendall Charcoal (LRV 14.61) is lighter and a touch warmer, 5.6 apart. It is the Benjamin Moore pick if Peppercorn feels too dark or too cool.

How to test Peppercorn

Since Peppercorn borrows its undertone from its surroundings, test it against the warmest and coolest finishes in the room. Tape a two-coat sample board to the floor or cabinet you are keeping and look again under your evening bulbs. If it turns blue against warm wood, try Kendall Charcoal beside it. The undertone guide shows the white-paper test that makes this easier to see.

Colors similar to Peppercorn

Forged Steel (SW 9565) is almost the same color, only 1.6 apart. The closest Benjamin Moore color is Flint (AF-560), 3.4 apart.

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.

Peppercorn FAQs