Black Forest Green vs Starless Sky paint color comparison

Black Forest Green vs Starless Sky

Black Forest GreenBenjamin MoorevsStarless SkyPPGΔE 8.9Noticeable difference

Black Forest Green is a Benjamin Moore color while Starless Sky comes from PPG. Black Forest Green reads as blue-green, while Starless Sky reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. With LRVs of 5 and 5, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. At ΔE 8.9, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Black Forest Green vs Starless Sky in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Black Forest Green and Starless Sky 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

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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.

Black Forest GreenBenjamin Moore Black Forest Green living room fireplace color

@michelle.rod420

Starless SkyA cozy living room painted in Starless Sky

@simplywalldecor

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Starless SkyA moody bedroom painted in Starless Sky

@simplywalldecor

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Black Forest GreenBenjamin Moore Black Forest Green bathroom vanity

@design_story_janet_smith_mc

Starless SkyStarless Sky — minimalist bathroom

@simplywalldecor

Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Black Forest GreenBenjamin Moore Black Forest Green home office review

@primetimepaintllc

Starless SkyPPG Starless Sky in a unique home office

@simplywalldecor

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Starless SkyStarless Sky color — maximalist house inspiration

@simplywalldecor

Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.

Starless Skycottagecore front door featuring Starless Sky by PPG

@simplywalldecor

Color Details

Black Forest Green
Benjamin Moore · HC-187
Hex#242E2C
LRV4.8
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-187
UndertoneGreen and Blue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Starless Sky
PPG · PPG0995-7
Hex#3c3d3d
LRV5.0
BrandPPG
NumberPPG0995-7
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Black Forest Green vs Starless Sky Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Forest Green on one side and Starless Sky 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
Guilford Green
Black Forest Green vs Guilford Green
Black Forest Green
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Black Forest Green
HC-187 · LRV 5

At LRV 57 vs 5, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.