Cyclamen vs Hot
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Cyclamen belongs to the pink family and Hot to the pink-red family. Cyclamen (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Hot (LRV 14), a difference of 14 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 22.3, 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 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cyclamen vs Hot in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cyclamen and Hot 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 Cyclamen will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hot 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. Cyclamen reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hot.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Cyclamen reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hot.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Cyclamen returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Cyclamen reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hot.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Cyclamen reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hot.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Cyclamen returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Cyclamen returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Cyclamen reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hot.
Color Details
Cyclamen vs Hot Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cyclamen on one side and Hot 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 Cyclamen comparisons
See how Cyclamen stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 28, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 28), opening up a space where Cyclamen encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 28, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 28), opening up a space where Cyclamen encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 28, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 28 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 28), opening up a space where Cyclamen encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 28, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 28, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 28), opening up a space where Cyclamen encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 28, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 28, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 12, Cyclamen is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 28, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 28 vs 12, Cyclamen is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 28, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 28), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cyclamen reflects far more light (LRV 28 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Cyclamen reads slightly lighter (LRV 28 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 28), opening up a space where Cyclamen encloses it.