Ocean Abyss vs Novel Lilac
Where Ocean Abyss belongs to Behr's range, Novel Lilac is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Ocean Abyss belongs to the blue family and Novel Lilac to the pink-purple family. Novel Lilac (LRV 42) reflects noticeably more light than Ocean Abyss (LRV 7), a difference of 35 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Ocean Abyss runs blue while Novel Lilac is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 47.7, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ocean Abyss vs Novel Lilac in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Ocean Abyss and Novel Lilac in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Novel Lilac reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Ocean Abyss.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Novel Lilac will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Ocean Abyss would.
Color Details
Ocean Abyss vs Novel Lilac Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ocean Abyss on one side and Novel Lilac on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Ocean Abyss comparisons
See how Ocean Abyss stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
