Magnolia vs S 0502-Y
Magnolia is a Dulux color while S 0502-Y comes from NCS. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. At LRV 87 vs 83, S 0502-Y will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a warm quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 5.3, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Magnolia vs S 0502-Y in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Magnolia and S 0502-Y 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. S 0502-Y has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — S 0502-Y gives the walls a little more lift.
Mudroom
A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. S 0502-Y reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Magnolia vs S 0502-Y Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Magnolia on one side and S 0502-Y 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.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 83 vs 83), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Magnolia reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Magnolia reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Magnolia reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 58, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 27, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
Magnolia reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 55, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 44, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 84 and 83, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 83 vs 66, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (83 vs 74) makes Magnolia the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 83 vs 12, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 8, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 68, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 12, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 45, Magnolia is decisively the brighter choice.
Magnolia reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.