Tricorn Black
SW 6258 · Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams
Tricorn Black
SW 6258
None (a true neutral), a true neutral
- Color family
- Neutral
- Sold for
- Interior and exterior
Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258 is a true black from the neutral family. Its LRV of 3 is about as dark as wall paint gets, and the undertone is neutral: no blue, brown or green lean shows on a wall. It is used on front doors, window frames, trim, cabinets, accent walls and exteriors wherever a clean black is wanted.
Is Tricorn Black warm or cool? Undertones by the numbers
too close to gray to lean
Undertone
None (a true neutral)
A true neutral, no lean at all.
Tricorn Black measures as a true neutral; the trace of color it has leans faintly violet, far too little to see. Caviar SW 6990 and Black Magic SW 6991 are nearly identical to it, so all three are the same black on a wall. With nothing in it to warm or cool, it takes on the temperature of its surroundings: against a warm white it can look slightly cool, against a bright cool white slightly warm. That is contrast, not a change in the paint, which is why it pairs with any white and any wood tone; the other blacks on its strip, Inkwell SW 6992 and Black of Night SW 6993, carry a little more blue.
Tricorn Black in north, south, east and west light
Tricorn Black is one of the least light-sensitive colors on this site: with no undertone, nothing shifts with the direction of the sun, and what changes is how much of the surface you can see, from sheen and texture in direct sun to a flat plane in a north room or at night. That sameness across exposures is why it is a common pick for a whole-house trim black; for walls, give it a bright room and warm white bulbs.
Watch for
- In dim rooms it becomes a flat black plane and loses any sense of depth.
- Direct sun shows dust, roller marks and drywall texture more than on any lighter color.
- Outdoors in full sun it reads as a very dark charcoal, not as black.
Best rooms and surfaces for Tricorn Black
Tricorn Black earns its place on the parts of a room that need a sharp edge: interior doors, window frames, stair railings, a kitchen island, a range hood, a bathroom vanity. Against walls in a warm white like Alabaster SW 7008 or Greek Villa SW 7551, those black lines make the room look finished. Full cabinets work in a big, bright kitchen with a light counter; in a small kitchen it can swallow the room. As a wall color it suits a powder room, dining room or bedroom with good lighting, and it falls flat in a hallway or a room with one small window. It sits well with white oak, pale maple, marble, white quartz, brass and chrome.
Tricorn Black on an exterior
Tricorn Black is listed for exterior use and sits in the Top Exterior Colors collection. In full sun it reads lighter than indoors, closer to a very dark charcoal, though still blacker than Iron Ore SW 7069. It goes on front doors, shutters, window frames and gutters, and on whole modern exteriors with metal roofs; against black siding, Ice Cube SW 6252 is the Sherwin-Williams trim pairing and Extra White SW 7006 gives a sharper line. Dark paint absorbs heat, so check that your siding is rated for it.
Try Tricorn Black on your own walls
Upload a photo of your room, or the outside of your house, and TryMyHome renders Tricorn Black onto the walls so you can judge it in your light, with your floors and furniture. Your first five renders are free.
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Tricorn Black vs Iron Ore and Urbane Bronze
Iron OreTricorn BlackTricorn Black vs Iron Ore SW 7069
Tricorn Black is a touch darker; both have a none (a true neutral) undertone.
Iron Ore SW 7069 sits on the same fan-deck strip and reflects about twice as much light as Tricorn Black. Both are true neutrals, so the only difference is depth, and on a wall it is the difference between charcoal and black. Pick Tricorn Black for doors, frames, trim and anything that should read as a line. Pick Iron Ore for siding, cabinets and walls, where the extra light keeps it from going flat.
Urbane BronzeTricorn BlackTricorn Black vs Urbane Bronze SW 7048
Tricorn Black is noticeably darker; undertone none (a true neutral) vs subtle yellow-brown.
Urbane Bronze SW 7048 is noticeably lighter and has a subtle yellow-brown undertone, so it reads as a dark warm gray with brown in it. Tricorn Black has no undertone and reads as black. Pick Urbane Bronze for a house with brick, stone or cedar, where black can look harsh. Pick Tricorn Black when the palette is white and gray and you want the contrast as clean as possible.
Questions about Tricorn Black
Is Tricorn Black a true black?
Yes, as far as wall paint goes. It measures almost no color at all, with no warm or cool lean, and it is about as dark as wall paint gets. Caviar SW 6990 and Black Magic SW 6991 are nearly identical to it, so they are the same black on a wall. It looks black in every light.
What colors go with Tricorn Black?
Ice Cube SW 6252, a soft gray-white, is the Sherwin-Williams trim pairing, and because Tricorn Black has no undertone any white works: Extra White SW 7006 is crisp, Alabaster SW 7008 warm. White oak, pale maple, marble, white quartz, brass and chrome all sit well with it.
What is one shade lighter than Tricorn Black?
Caviar SW 6990 is the next color up on the strip, but the step is too small to see on a wall. The first visibly lighter black is Iron Ore SW 7069, which reflects about twice as much light and reads as charcoal.
Is Tricorn Black good for a front door?
Yes. A front door is one of its most common uses. In a satin or semi-gloss finish it gives a clean black that shows no undertone next to any siding color, and it is listed for exterior use. It pairs with brass, black and nickel hardware alike.
Get a sample before you paint
Use the visualizer to narrow your shortlist, then confirm the finalist on your actual wall. A peel-and-stick sample of Tricorn Black, checked in morning and evening light, is the last step before a gallon.
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