Universal Black vs Passageway
Where Universal Black belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Passageway is a Valspar color. Hue-wise, Universal Black belongs to the grey family and Passageway to the blue-grey family. Passageway (LRV 14) reflects noticeably more light than Universal Black (LRV 5), a difference of 9 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 24.5, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Universal Black vs Passageway in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Universal Black and Passageway 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 Passageway will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Universal Black would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Passageway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Universal Black.
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. Passageway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Universal Black.
Color Details
Universal Black vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Universal Black on one side and Passageway 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 Universal Black comparisons
See how Universal Black stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
