Black Bean vs Blue Refrain
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Black Bean belongs to the grey family and Blue Refrain to the blue family. Blue Refrain (LRV 64) reflects noticeably more light than Black Bean (LRV 4), a difference of 61 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Black Bean runs warm while Blue Refrain is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 65.2, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Bean vs Blue Refrain in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Bean and Blue Refrain in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Blue Refrain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Bean.
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 Blue Refrain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Bean would.
Color Details
Black Bean vs Blue Refrain Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Bean on one side and Blue Refrain 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.