Black Magic vs Naval
Black Magic and Naval come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Black Magic reads as grey, while Naval reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 3 vs 4 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Black Magic leans neutral, Naval reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 11.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Magic vs Naval in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Magic and Naval 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
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. Naval brings more warmth to the space, while Black Magic keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Black Magic reads more restrained here, while Naval adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Black Magic reads more restrained here, while Naval adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The temperature contrast between Naval and Black Magic is what sets these apart most in this context.
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. Black Magic reads more restrained here, while Naval adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Black Magic reads more restrained here, while Naval adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Naval brings more warmth to the space, while Black Magic keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Black Magic reads more restrained here, while Naval adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Black Magic vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Magic on one side and Naval 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.
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.
At LRV 72 vs 3, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.