Annie Sloan · Black Paint Colors
Annie Sloan Black Paint Colors
all 1, sorted honestly
Every black in the Chalk Paint deck — 1 colors, LRV 0 down to 0 — grouped by undertone and depth.
All 1 Annie Sloan black paint colors
Grouped by undertone (warm → cool)Hex values are display approximations from Annie Sloan's published swatch tools — not guaranteed to match a physical sample under controlled lighting. Order a brand-direct sample before specifying.
Annie Sloan Blacks by Room
Each room page shows black picks from every US brand side by side — Annie Sloan included — so you can compare in context.
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See Any of These Blacks on Your Own Walls
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Athenian Black: The One True Black in the Deck
Annie Sloan keeps exactly one color in the black family — Athenian Black (#000000, LRV 0), a true, deep, no-undertone black. It's the darkest possible LRV reading, meaning it absorbs essentially all light that hits it rather than reflecting any back, which is why it reads as flat and dense even in bright rooms.
A single black keeping the whole family is a deliberate choice, not a gap. Chalk Paint's broader palette is built around softer, historic neutrals and mid-tones, and Athenian Black exists as the one high-contrast anchor color you reach for when a piece needs real drama rather than another shade of muted color.
Where a True Black Works on Furniture
Athenian Black earns its keep on statement pieces: a single dramatic dresser, a picture frame gallery wall, kitchen island cabinetry that's meant to contrast against lighter perimeter cabinets, or hardware and metal-look accents on furniture. Because it's a true, saturated black rather than a charcoal or near-black, it reads as confident and modern even against Chalk Paint's otherwise vintage-leaning colors — a black-painted mid-century sideboard next to softer neutrals is a common, effective pairing.
On smaller pieces, a little goes a long way. Black absorbs light and can make an already-dark room feel heavier, so it works best as a contrast piece in a room that has other light surfaces to balance it, rather than as the only painted furniture in a small or dim space.
Wax Choices on a True Black
Dark wax has almost no visible effect on Athenian Black, since there's no lighter base tone left for it to deepen or age — the color is already at LRV 0. That makes clear wax or lacquer the more useful topcoats here: clear wax gives a soft, low sheen that still reads matte from a distance, while lacquer offers more sheen and durability, which is worth considering on a piece like a black kitchen island that gets touched constantly.
If you do want an antiqued effect on a black piece, it's more common to use a lighter wax or a contrasting glaze in the recesses rather than dark wax, since dark wax over black simply disappears.
Getting This Black on a Wall Instead
Athenian Black isn't part of Annie Sloan's Wall Paint line, but a true black is one of the easiest colors for any paint store to color-match accurately, since there's little undertone variation to get wrong. If you've used it on an accent piece and want a matching black wall, door, or trim elsewhere in the room, bring a sample chip or the product name to any US paint brand's counter for a match.
Worth noting: a true black wall behaves very differently than a true black dresser. It will make a room feel dramatically smaller and darker, so it's usually reserved for an accent wall, a door, built-in trim, or a small powder room rather than a full room of walls.
The Questions Everyone Asks
why does annie sloan only have one black color?
Athenian Black is the only color in the family because Chalk Paint's palette is built around soft historic neutrals and mid-tones, with one true, saturated black kept as the high-contrast anchor color for pieces that need real drama, rather than offering several near-identical dark shades.
what is athenian black's lrv?
It sits at LRV 0, the lowest possible reading, meaning it reflects essentially no light. That makes it the single darkest color anywhere in the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint deck, well below even the deepest neutrals and reds.
does dark wax do anything over athenian black?
Not much — dark wax deepens and warms a color by adding tone into the finish, but Athenian Black is already at the bottom of the scale, so there's no visible shift. Clear wax or lacquer are the more useful topcoats for this color.
is athenian black good for kitchen cabinets?
Yes, especially as a contrast element like an island against lighter perimeter cabinets. Seal it with lacquer rather than wax, since cabinets get touched and wiped constantly and lacquer holds up to that handling far better than a waxed finish does.
can i get athenian black as a wall paint?
It's not part of Annie Sloan's Wall Paint line, but true black is one of the easier colors for any paint store to color-match accurately. Take a sample or the product name to a paint counter, and test a swatch before committing, since black walls read much darker than black furniture.
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