Have you ever wondered how light or dark the paint color is? Maybe you have to go to the nearest paint store just to buy paint swatches and samples to observe the lightness and darkness of the color? Well, to make it simpler for you, let me introduce you to the ultimate guide to paint colors and our new friend, LRV (Light Reflectance Value)!

Yes, trust me! It is a very important term to know when choosing a paint color for the walls! And you can easily find out the value at the back of the color swatches!

So, long story short –

LRV refers to how light or dark the paint color looks like on the walls!

Remember, the higher the LRV, the lighter the color and the lighter will the color reflect!

The lower the LRV, the darker the color and the lesser light will be the color reflect!

LRV can really make or break your color palette and also the overall mood of your space. So, are you ready to know the secrets of paint colors and LRV? Maybe it’s time for you to go around and sit on your favorite couch and get cozy with a cup of coffee to further read this blog.

What is LRV?

LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value which refers to how light or dark the paint color is. Ranging from 0 (black) to 100 (white), the value can be well determined. The lower the LRV value – the darker the color, and vice versa! This value can REALLY affect the overall aura and mood of your space depending on how much natural and artificial light is entering the space! It can make your space look congested or spacious if carefully used!

I often notice this term getting ignored by homeowners who are more focused on aesthetics and “looks”!

Well, let me tell you – ignoring the LRV of paint color is like ignoring the milk in your coffee (for all the Cappuccino lovers)!

And you can’t afford to do that, right?

Okay! So, first and foremost,

LIGHT MATTERS

Whether it is tons of natural light falling on the walls of your room

Or

You have ample artificial lighting – warm yellows or warm white!

Lighting DOES matter!

Even depending on the direction of your room – is it north-facing, south-facing, east, or west?

Trust me, these paint colors are like chameleons!

They keep changing with the amount of light they receive.

And, that is why, you need to be careful around which paint colors to be used depending on the direction, your room faces.

Generally, south-facing rooms receive tons of sunlight which can make your paint color look more like yellowish-beige!

Similarly, due to the lack of sunlight in the north-facing rooms, you can ABSOLUTELY feel the color to be icy and crisp!

Remember,

The more light in your room – the more light will the paint color reflect!

What if you’re wondering, Nishtha – I don’t have any natural lighting at all!

Don’t worry!

I have got your back!

In that case, you might want to pick paint colors with HIGH LRV and strategically place your artificial lighting in the form of wall scones, floor lamps, chandeliers etc. etc.

Focus on the Saturation and Color temperature of the Lighting in such cases!

Moving on, let’s see what the Light Reflectance Values mean and how can they affect your spaces!

LRV Values and How they Affect Spaces

You will find the values at the back of your color swatches. But are they really true? How do we determine the darkness or lightness of the color?

Well, let me give you an overview of these values!

(Remember, 0 is dark and 100 is light)!

0-5 = Very Dark

5-15 = Dark

15-25 = Medium Dark

25-50 = Medium

50-60 = Light Medium

60-75 = Light

75-82 = Off-Whites

80+ = Whites

I know that’s a lot of technical stuff talking!

Let’s talk more about the practical aspects of these values with their applicable real-time examples!

Paint Colors With A Low LRV: 0-5 = Very Dark

One classic example is Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black! With an LRV of 3, this color proves to be a sophisticated and soft black with almost no undertones. It has a pure black backdrop which can make your room feel smaller and suffocated if not properly used!

Have a look at the modern mudroom where the blogger painted shiplap walls in Tricorn Black. But did you notice, why space still feels so bright and spacious even after using a paint color with an LRV of 3?

Well, that is because of ample natural light and paint color being used in an appropriate amount as accents! Hence, if you are planning to use a paint color with LRV’s ranging from 0-5, it is very important to take into consideration the factors of natural light and artificial light! On the brighter side, using this color is not an issue in large and spacious rooms!

Paint Colors With LRV 5-15 = Dark

Timeless and elegant, Sherwin Williams Outerspace is all set to take your breath away! With an LRV of 12, this color is not too-dark as Tricorn Black and can be used in homes if carefully used. You can use this color in amalgamation with lighter shades but BEWARE!

Have a look at Sherwin Williams Outerspace on the bedroom walls! Do you wonder why the room still looks so refreshing and bright? Well, that’s due to ample light and neutralizing the blue with white upholstery and furniture!

Even though these colors are not too dark, they might still make a space feel dingy in absence of light. In a POORLY lit room, this color will look darker than it is – let’s say, almost like blacks!

Paint Colors With LRV 15-25 = Medium Dark

A decent grey with deep green undertones, Sherwin Williams Cityscape is a perfect example of a medium-dark shade. Colors with similar LRV’s can be used in medium-sized rooms as they will tend to reflect SOME light but not a lot!

Take a sneak peek at this little bedroom with Cityscape walls. Now the reason why I chose to present this example is due to the light affecting various parts of the paint color on the walls! If you observe closely, the paint over which natural light falls adjacent to the window seems much lighter than the other areas of the wall! Next to the trims, Sherwin Williams Cityscape almost appears dark grey and blackish!

However, for smaller rooms, you must avoid such colors unless you’re making it an ACCENT!

Paint Colors With LRV 25-50 = Medium

One of my favorites WARM-GRAY paint color, Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray is a perfect mid-toned gray shade that tends to change its looks depending on the natural light received! In south-facing rooms, they appear more beige, unlike north-facing rooms where they look more like gray or greige.

It has an LRV of 39 which makes it even slightly lighter than Cityscape. It DOES reflect light but not a LOT! In absence of natural light, this color might appear heavier than it is, but you still can use it with little light!

Do you see how important is the role of natural lighting? This room appears dull with a lack of ample natural lighting which makes the color a tat-bit darker than it is!

Paint Colors With LRV 50-60 = Light Medium

As we are moving up the scale, the percentage of the paint color used is too increasing. Here, I am going to use the example of Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige which is HIGHLY HIGHLY used by the homeowners across the world! With an LRV OF 58, this color can be used in small to mid-sized rooms without having to be a bold focal.

Light and bright, have a look at this classic example of Accessible Beige! Doesn’t it look lighter than it already is? Well! That’s for sure. Because of ample natural light, space seems airier and open!

Yes, you can use it as a base and neutral! Due to light-medium Light Reflectance Value, this color makes a way for smaller spaces with medium lighting conditions. It will reflect away natural light and MAKE your rooms look a little brighter!

Paint Colors With LRV 60-75 = Light

Sherwin Williams Silverpointe is a perfect light grey with neutral undertones. With an LRV of 64, this color clearly depicts a light shade and is the ultimate solution to small spaces and apartments! With comparatively higher LRV’s, these colors reflect tons of light thus, making the room feel brighter!

Silverpointe proves to be a perfect light greyish shade. With ample natural light, the color seems too much brighter than it is. I love how the COLOR is paired opposite darker greys and hardwoods!

They could act as perfect neutrals in a room! (However, do remember to align the undertones)!

Paint Colors With LRV 75-82 = Off-Whites

Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a perfect off-white paint color example that acts as a perfect neutral in a room. With an LRV of 82 and a warm and creamy texture, this paint color reflects most of the light, making your room look brighter and MUCH MUCH lighter!

Creamy Alabaster on walls is all I have my EYES on!

With a high LRV, the color reflects most of the light as it can be seen in the picture above. Most of the light you see is bounced back!

I highly recommend this paint color to all my clients who preach a farmhouse or traditional interior design style!

Paint Colors With LRV 80+ = Whites

The purest form of white, Sherwin Williams High Reflective White has an LRV of 93! Which is AMAZINGLY WHITE! I highly recommend using this paint color for trims and moldings as they help protrude out your real bases and accents!

High Reflective White is as BRIGHT as a diamond!!

In the picture above, the trims and moldings are painted in High Reflective White! Look how bright the room looks!

Almost all of the light falling on this paint color is reflected away making it an absolute light and bright color! It is hardly going to ABSORB any light!

Long story short,

• Dark paint colors in a dark room with no lighting appear to be even darker! They will definitely look black-ish!
• Light paint colors in a light room with ample lighting appears to be lighter as it reflects more light!
• Dark paint colors in light room with mid to ample lighting will reflect light and clearly depict their undertones and will come out sophisticated!
• Light paint colors in a dark room will make your space look comparatively brighter and lighter! However, remember to strategically use artificial lighting!
• It is recommended to opt for neutrals in poor to mid lighting conditions!
• Medium-light, light, and mainly LRV’s over 60 GREATLY affect the incoming light as they tend to BOUNCE them back!

So, did you get the hang of LRV’s and how much they have to offer to us?

There are endless theories, and I am still evolving them project-by-project!

Make sure to consider the LRV aspects while choosing a paint color for your home!

If you have questions or doubts, do let me know your experiences in the comments below or check out my interior decoration and color consulting packages where I can get one-on-one with you and we can discuss your spaces and choose a perfect color palette depending on your lifestyle and preferences!

Until next time!

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