Magnolia vs Green Smoke
Magnolia (Dulux) and Green Smoke (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Magnolia belongs to the beige family and Green Smoke to the green-grey family. The 64-point LRV gap — 83 for Magnolia vs 19 for Green Smoke — means Magnolia will open up a space more effectively. Where Magnolia leans warm, Green Smoke reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 42.2 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Magnolia vs Green Smoke in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Magnolia and Green Smoke 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Magnolia reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Green Smoke.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Magnolia returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Magnolia returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Magnolia returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Mudroom
In a hardworking space like a mudroom, the depth and warmth of a color reads differently than in a quieter room. The LRV gap is large enough that Magnolia will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Green Smoke would.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Magnolia returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Magnolia vs Green Smoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Magnolia on one side and Green Smoke 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 Magnolia comparisons
See how Magnolia stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
