Black Magic vs Swirling Smoke
Both from PPG's palette. Hue-wise, Black Magic belongs to the grey family and Swirling Smoke to the greige-grey family. Swirling Smoke (LRV 60) reflects noticeably more light than Black Magic (LRV 4), a difference of 56 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 54.4, 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 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Magic vs Swirling Smoke in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Magic and Swirling 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
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 Swirling Smoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Magic 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. Swirling Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Swirling Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Swirling Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Swirling Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Swirling Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Swirling Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Swirling Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Swirling Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Swirling Smoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Magic would.
Color Details
Black Magic vs Swirling Smoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Magic on one side and Swirling 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.