Mysterious vs Basically Black
Where Mysterious belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Basically Black is a Dulux color. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (9 vs 9), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Mysterious runs blue while Basically Black is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. At ΔE 2.8, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Mysterious vs Basically Black in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Mysterious 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The temperature contrast between Basically Black and Mysterious is what sets these apart most in this context.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Basically Black brings more warmth to the space, while Mysterious keeps things cooler and crisper.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Basically Black brings more warmth to the space, while Mysterious keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Mysterious vs Basically Black Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mysterious 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 Mysterious comparisons
See how Mysterious stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
