Black Forest Green vs Guilford Green paint color comparison

Black Forest Green vs Guilford Green

Both are Benjamin Moore colors. Black Forest Green reads as blue-green, while Guilford Green reads as beige-green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 57 vs 5, Guilford Green will read as the brighter of the two — a 52-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Black Forest Green's green and blue character against Guilford Green's yellow — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 65.4, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Black Forest Green vs Guilford Green in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Forest Green and Guilford Green 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Guilford Green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Black Forest GreenBenjamin Moore Black Forest Green living room fireplace color

@michelle.rod420

Guilford GreenGuilford Green living room color

@brightgirlvintage

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Guilford Green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Forest Green would.

Guilford GreenBenjamin Moore HC-116 bedroom paint review

@marigongraphics

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Guilford Green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Forest Green would.

Black Forest GreenBenjamin Moore Black Forest Green bathroom vanity

@design_story_janet_smith_mc

Guilford GreenBenjamin Moore Guilford Green bathroom paint review

@fall_line_builders

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Guilford Green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Forest Green would.

Guilford GreenBenjamin Moore HC-116 house exterior color review

@benjaminmoore

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Guilford Green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Forest Green would.

Black Forest GreenBenjamin Moore Black Forest Green kitchen cabinets paint

@barrettlandandresidential

Guilford GreenBenjamin Moore Guilford Green kitchen cabinets paint review

@amymaisondecor

Color Details

Black Forest Green
Benjamin Moore · HC-187
Hex#242E2C
LRV4.8
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-187
UndertoneGreen and Blue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore · HC-116
Hex#CBCDAE
LRV57.2
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-116
UndertoneYellow
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Black Forest Green vs Guilford Green Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Forest Green on one side and Guilford Green on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Black Forest Green comparisons

See how Black Forest Green stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Black Forest Green
White Dove
Black Forest Green vs White Dove
Black Forest Green
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Ammonite
Black Forest Green vs Ammonite
Black Forest Green
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

At LRV 69 vs 5, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Iron Ore
Black Forest Green vs Iron Ore
Black Forest Green
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

With LRVs of 6 and 5, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Black Forest Green
Purbeck Stone
Black Forest Green vs Purbeck Stone
Black Forest Green
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 52 vs 5, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Evergreen Fog
Black Forest Green vs Evergreen Fog
Black Forest Green
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 30 vs 5, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Mizzle
Black Forest Green vs Mizzle
Black Forest Green
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Agreeable Gray
Black Forest Green vs Agreeable Gray
Black Forest Green
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 60 vs 5, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Accessible Beige
Black Forest Green vs Accessible Beige
Black Forest Green
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Denim Drift
Black Forest Green vs Denim Drift
Black Forest Green
Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
French Gray
Black Forest Green vs French Gray
Black Forest Green
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 43 vs 5, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Naval
Black Forest Green vs Naval
Black Forest Green
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 5 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Black Forest Green
Tranquil Dawn
Black Forest Green vs Tranquil Dawn
Black Forest Green
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Bancha
Black Forest Green vs Bancha
Black Forest Green
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Black Forest Green
Hardwick White
Black Forest Green vs Hardwick White
Black Forest Green
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Pure White
Black Forest Green vs Pure White
Black Forest Green
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 84 vs 5, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Artichoke
Black Forest Green vs Artichoke
Black Forest Green
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 5, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Black Forest Green
Balboa Mist vs Black Forest Green
Balboa Mist
Black Forest Green
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Shoji White
Black Forest Green vs Shoji White
Black Forest Green
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Snowbound
Black Forest Green vs Snowbound
Black Forest Green
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Pewter Green
Black Forest Green vs Pewter Green
Black Forest Green
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Black Forest Green
Skimming Stone
Black Forest Green vs Skimming Stone
Black Forest Green
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Dix Blue
Black Forest Green vs Dix Blue
Black Forest Green
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 5, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Calamine
Black Forest Green vs Calamine
Black Forest Green
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

At LRV 68 vs 5, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Treron
Black Forest Green vs Treron
Black Forest Green
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

At LRV 25 vs 5, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Vintage Vogue
Black Forest Green vs Vintage Vogue
Black Forest Green
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Black Forest Green
Saybrook Sage
Black Forest Green vs Saybrook Sage
Black Forest Green
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 5), opening up a space where Black Forest Green encloses it.

Black Forest Green
Pale Green
Black Forest Green vs Pale Green
Black Forest Green
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

At LRV 31 vs 5, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Pine Needle
Black Forest Green vs Pine Needle
Black Forest Green
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 5), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Black Forest Green
Cement grey
Black Forest Green vs Cement grey
Black Forest Green
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 5, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.

Black Forest Green
Just Walnut
Black Forest Green vs Just Walnut
Black Forest Green
Just Walnut
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 72 vs 5, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.