Black Magic vs Caviar
Black Magic and Caviar come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 3 vs 3 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 0.5 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Magic vs Caviar in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Black Magic and Caviar 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Black Magic vs Caviar Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Magic on one side and Caviar 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 Black Magic comparisons
See how Black Magic stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 3, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 6 and 3, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 3, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 3, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 3, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 3, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 4 vs 3), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 3), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 3, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 3, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 3), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 3, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 3, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 3, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 3), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 3), opening up a space where Black Magic encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 3, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (7 vs 3) makes Pine Needle the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 3, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 3, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.