Black Magic vs Downing Slate
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Black Magic belongs to the grey family and Downing Slate to the blue-grey family. Downing Slate (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. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 32.6, 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 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Magic vs Downing Slate in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Magic and Downing Slate 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 Downing Slate 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. Downing Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
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. Downing Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
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. Downing Slate 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 Downing Slate 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. Downing Slate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Magic.
Color Details
Black Magic vs Downing Slate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Magic on one side and Downing Slate 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.
