Magnolia vs City Loft
Magnolia is a Dulux color while City Loft comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Magnolia belongs to the beige family and City Loft to the beige-greige family. At LRV 83 vs 70, Magnolia will read as the brighter of the two — a 13-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 7.7, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Magnolia vs City Loft in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Magnolia and City Loft 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. Magnolia returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Magnolia will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than City Loft would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Magnolia will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than City Loft would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Magnolia will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than City Loft would.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Magnolia will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than City Loft would.
Color Details
Magnolia vs City Loft Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Magnolia on one side and City Loft 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.
