Farrow and Ball Smelt Black G18
Contentsshow +hide -
| Official page: | Smelt Black G18 |
| Code: | G18 |
| Name: | Smelt Black |
| Brand: | Farrow and Ball |
What color is Farrow and Ball Smelt Black?
Farrow and Ball Smelt Black G18 is a deep, even charcoal-grey with a neutral cast, based on its balanced #3c3c3c color value. It reads as a soft black in bright rooms, while lower light brings out its full, shadowy depth. Use it on cabinetry, interior doors, or a single wall where a solid dark contrast is wanted without the absolute sharpness of black. Pale plaster, crisp white trim, light oak, and brushed steel give this shade a clean, grounded setting. On an exterior detail such as a front door or window frame, Smelt Black can create a defined outline against lighter masonry or siding.
Try before you buy
100% accurate
reusable paint samples
Peel, stick,
and repeat
Twice painted
with real paint
Next day
delivery
What are Farrow and Ball Smelt Black undertones?
Smelt Black reads as a deep, low-saturation charcoal that sits very close to neutral rather than clearly blue, brown, or green. In the supplied digital sample, the color has no strong measurable undertone direction, so any subtle bias may depend on the actual paint finish and surrounding colors. Farrow & Ball describes it as a “soft base metal” paint color, which fits its visibly muted, industrial-style dark gray character rather than changing its main charcoal family. Warm artificial light may make it appear a little softer or less stark, while cool daylight can emphasize its neutral gray quality.
Manufacturer information used in this description: official color page.
HEX value:
RGB code:
60, 60, 60
Is Farrow and Ball Smelt Black cool or warm?
warm
cool
With a hue of 0°, this black shade sits right in the neutral zone on the HSL color wheel—neither warm nor cool.
G18 Smelt Black HSL code: 0, 0%, 24%
Hue - degree on a color wheel from 0 to 360. 0 is red, 120 is green, and 240 is blue.
Saturation is expressed as a percentage. At 0%, it appears as a shade of grey, and at 100%, it is in full color.
Lightness is also a percentage value. 0% is black, and 100% is white.
How light temperature affects Smelt Black
Natural Lighting. During the day, natural light shifts from about 2000 K at sunrise/sunset to 5500–6500 K at noon.
In addition, natural-light temperature depends on its direction:
| Direction of sunlight | Visible temp. | Hue | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Cool | Bluish | All day |
| East | Warm | Yellow | Before noon |
| West | Warm | Orange-red | After noon |
| South | Warm | Orange-yellow | All day |
Artificial Lighting. When choosing bulbs, pay attention to their color temperature in Kelvins.
Use the slider to see how this black shade looks under different lighting:
Coordinating colors.
Colors that go with Farrow and Ball Smelt Black:
Monochromatic color scheme
This scheme consists of various shades, tints, and tones of a single color. While it offers a perfect combination of hues, without accent décor it may become monotonous.
Lighter shades
G18
Smelt Black
Complementary color scheme
This color scheme is a combination of two shades that are opposite each other on the color wheel. The high contrast between these colors creates a vibrant and dynamic visual effect. For the color Smelt Black with a red hue, complementary colors are those with a green hue close to 180, such as Farrow and Ball Oval Room Blue and Hazy.
Color codes
We have collected almost every possible color code you could ever need.
Not sure what the difference between HEX and RGB is? We break down color models in plain language. Understanding color models
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HEX | #3c3c3c |
| RGB Decimal | 60, 60, 60 |
| RGB Percent | 23.53%, 23.53%, 23.53% |
| HSV | Hue: 0° Saturation: 0.0% Value: 23.53% |
| HSL | hsl(0, 0.0, 23.53) |
| CMYK | Cyan: 0.0 Magenta: 0.0 Yellow: 0.0 Key: 76.47 |
| YIQ | Y: 60.0 I: -0.0 Q: -0.0 |
| XYZ | X: 4.295 Y: 4.519 Z: 4.92 |
| CIE Lab | L:25.317 a:-0.001 b:0.002 |
| CIE Luv | L:25.317 u:-0.0 v:0.002 |
| Decimal | 3947580 |
| Hunter Lab | 21.257, -1.136, 1.158 |
Color equivalents
09BB 07/008
Almost Black
Dulux
Y498
Midnight
Tikkurila
256
Pitch Black
Farrow and Ball
9920
Grate Black
Farrow and Ball
30BB 05/022
Cobalt Night
Dulux
57
Off-Black
Farrow and Ball
95
Black Blue
Farrow and Ball
RAL 7016
Anthracite grey
RAL Classic
RAL 7021
Black grey
RAL Classic
91YR 08/025
Stable Gates
Dulux
30YY 05/044
Rum Caramel 1
Dulux
9938
Blackened Black
Jotun
RAL 6015
Black olive
RAL Classic
CB10
Liquorice
Farrow and Ball
31
Railings
Farrow and Ball
RAL 8019
Grey brown
RAL Classic
X499
Licorice
Tikkurila
Black
Dulux