The floor finish is the reference
Judge Kendall Charcoal against your actual wood finish, not a generic wood species label. The starting material direction here is white counters and oak floorboards. Kendall Charcoal is a deep gray that can provide a strong cabinet outline beside white stone.
The counter overhang creates a more demanding view than the showroom wall, so that position should inform the depth decision.
Test the dominant wood color, not one grain line
Check the outline between Kendall Charcoal 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.
Kendall Charcoal has an LRV of 14.61; Sherwin-Williams Gauntlet Gray SW-7019 is 17. The difference is 2.39 points, with Gauntlet Gray returning more light under the reference measurement.
The condition for keeping Kendall Charcoal
Approve a sample below the worktop overhang; a showroom chip can understate the final shadow. The undertones and neighboring colors covers that related choice. The trim color comparison covers that related choice.
Keep the Kendall Charcoal 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: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal HC-166. The recorded LRV is 14.61. 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. Benjamin Moore 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.