Alchemy vs Bagel
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. Bagel (LRV 50) reflects noticeably more light than Alchemy (LRV 38), a difference of 12 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 24.2, 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.
Alchemy vs Bagel in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Alchemy and Bagel 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 Bagel will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Alchemy 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. Bagel reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alchemy.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Bagel reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alchemy.
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. Bagel 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. Bagel reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alchemy.
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. Bagel reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alchemy.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Bagel 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. Bagel 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. Bagel reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alchemy.
Color Details
Alchemy vs Bagel Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Alchemy on one side and Bagel 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 Alchemy comparisons
See how Alchemy stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 38), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 38, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (38 vs 30) makes Alchemy the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 38, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 38), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
Alchemy reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (43 vs 38) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 38), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 38, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 38), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 38), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
Alchemy reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 38), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
Alchemy reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (38 vs 31) makes Alchemy the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 38 vs 7, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 24, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 38, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.