Reseda green vs Black Magic
Where Reseda green belongs to RAL Classic's range, Black Magic is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Reseda green belongs to the green-yellow family and Black Magic to the grey family. Reseda green (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Black Magic (LRV 3), a difference of 18 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 36.9, 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.
Reseda green vs Black Magic in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Reseda green and Black Magic in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Reseda green 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 Reseda green will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Magic would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Reseda green reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Color Details
Reseda green vs Black Magic Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Reseda green on one side and Black Magic 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 Reseda green comparisons
See how Reseda green stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
