Poppy Seed vs Basically Black
Poppy Seed (Behr) and Basically Black (Dulux) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 8 vs 9 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Poppy Seed leans blue, Basically Black reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 0.8 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Poppy Seed vs Basically Black in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Poppy Seed and Basically Black are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Poppy Seed vs Basically Black Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Poppy Seed on one side and Basically Black 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 Poppy Seed comparisons
See how Poppy Seed stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 8, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
With LRVs of 8 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 8, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 8, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 8, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 8, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (8 vs 4) makes Poppy Seed the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 8, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 8, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 8, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 8 and 8, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 8, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 8), opening up a space where Poppy Seed encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 8, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.