The floor finish is the reference
Judge Peppercorn against your actual wood finish, not a generic wood species label. The starting material direction here is pale oak and white plaster. Peppercorn is a deep gray rather than a midtone, even though its manufacturer describes its temperature as balanced.
Pale oak and white plaster can outline a dark painted area, but the shape and extent of that area determine its architectural effect.
Test the dominant wood color, not one grain line
Check the outline between Peppercorn and the darkest part of the floor or wood furniture. Deep paint and dark timber may lose separation in evening light. Decide whether that continuous dark effect is intended, or whether a lighter painted boundary would give the room clearer structure.
Peppercorn has an LRV of 10; Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal HC-166 is 14.61. The difference is 4.61 points, with Kendall Charcoal returning more light under the reference measurement.
The condition for keeping Peppercorn
Check the intended painted area as a shape in the room; keep enough light material to define it. The undertones and neighboring colors covers that related choice. The trim color comparison covers that related choice.
Keep the Peppercorn board vertical at the floor edge. A match to one pale grain line can misrepresent the dominant color across the installed floor. Judge the broad timber background from standing height. If the floor will be refinished, repeat the comparison with the approved new stain sample before ordering the wall paint. The coordinating color options covers that related choice. Before ordering samples, compare room-planning features in the paint color visualizer roundup.
Sources & notes
Color specifications: Sherwin-Williams Peppercorn SW-7674. The recorded LRV is 10. Named comparison values come from the respective manufacturers; material schemes are editorial suggestions.
This guide reviews published color information and proposes practical sample checks. It does not claim first-hand paint testing or customer-review scores. Sherwin-Williams does not sponsor or endorse this site. Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Confirm the color in a physical sample and select the coating for the actual surface and finish.