Somerville Red vs Black grey
Where Somerville Red belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Black grey is a RAL Classic color. Somerville Red reads as pink-red, while Black grey reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Somerville Red (LRV 19) reflects noticeably more light than Black grey (LRV 6), a difference of 13 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 36.6, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Somerville Red vs Black grey in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Somerville Red and Black grey 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
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 LRV gap is large enough that Somerville Red will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black grey would.
Color Details
Somerville Red vs Black grey Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Somerville Red on one side and Black grey 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 Somerville Red comparisons
See how Somerville Red stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
