Burgundy vs Merlot
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Burgundy belongs to the pink-red family and Merlot to the pink family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (5 vs 4), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of NaN, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Burgundy vs Merlot in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Burgundy and Merlot in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Color Details
Burgundy vs Merlot Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Burgundy on one side and Merlot 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 Burgundy comparisons
See how Burgundy stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
