Bavarian Forest vs Blackened Black
Bavarian Forest (Benjamin Moore) and Blackened Black (Jotun) come from different manufacturers. Bavarian Forest reads as blue, while Blackened Black reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 7 vs 7 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Bavarian Forest leans blue, Blackened Black reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 15.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Bavarian Forest vs Blackened Black in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Bavarian Forest and Blackened Black in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Blackened Black brings more warmth to the space, while Bavarian Forest keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Bavarian Forest vs Blackened Black Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Bavarian Forest on one side and Blackened 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 Bavarian Forest comparisons
See how Bavarian Forest stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
