Black Magic vs Rock Garden
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Black Magic belongs to the grey family and Rock Garden to the green-grey family. Rock Garden (LRV 8) reflects noticeably more light than Black Magic (LRV 3), a difference of 5 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Black Magic runs neutral while Rock Garden is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 17.3, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Magic vs Rock Garden in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Magic and Rock Garden 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Rock Garden gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Rock Garden reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Rock Garden reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Rock Garden reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Rock Garden reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Black Magic vs Rock Garden Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Magic on one side and Rock Garden 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.
