Black Magic
SW 6991 · Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams
Black Magic
SW 6991
No distinct lean, no distinct lean in this calculation
- Color family
- Neutral
- Sold for
- Interior and exterior
Sherwin-Williams Black Magic SW 6991 is a true black, a neutral with little swatch lean the eye can pick out. Its LRV of 3 means it reflects almost no light, so on a wall it reads as black in every exposure. On the fan deck it sits between Tricorn Black SW 6258 and Caviar SW 6990, and the three are close enough that choosing comes down to a hair of depth. It goes on front doors, exteriors, trim and accent walls.
Source: Sherwin-Williams's color data. Undertone labels describe our calculation, not the paint formula or a test in your room. How we assess colors.
Is Black Magic warm or cool? Undertones by the numbers
too close to gray to lean
Undertone
No distinct lean
A true neutral, no lean at all.
Black Magic falls in our lowest-chroma category, with a very faint violet trace in the published swatch. Tricorn Black SW 6258 and Caviar SW 6990 are close digital alternatives, which still need physical samples to compare. Warm white trim and oak may make the black seem cooler; cooler whites may make it seem warmer. Inkwell SW 6992 and Black of Night SW 6993 have a stronger blue swatch lean, while Iron Ore SW 7069 is a lighter charcoal option.
Black Magic in different lighting
In a north-facing room Black Magic can read as a nearly black plane, with panel details harder to see away from the window. South and west light may reveal more surface texture and sheen; east light is useful for checking the morning appearance. Compare the intended finish under the lamps you use at night, since low swatch chroma does not guarantee the same appearance under every light.
Watch for
- In a north room it flattens into one dark plane and hides door panels and trim profiles.
- Direct sun across a matte wall shows roller marks and touch-ups that a lighter paint would hide.
- Outdoors around midday it reads as a very dark charcoal, not the black on the chip.
Best rooms and surfaces for Black Magic
Black Magic works best as a line or an object: interior doors, window sashes, stair spindles, a range hood, a vanity, the island in a bright kitchen. On those it gives a sharp edge against a warm white like Snowbound SW 7004, and the hardware decides the mood, brass for warmth or nickel for a cooler look. A full accent wall suits a dining room, powder room or bedroom with strong daylight or good lamps, where black reads as depth rather than absence. Whole rooms and windowless bathrooms are where it fails, closing in and showing every fingerprint. Cabinets in Black Magic need a big window and a pale counter; in a small kitchen they swallow the light. It pairs with white oak, marble, white quartz and pale terrazzo, and with any wood tone, since nothing in it clashes.
Black Magic on an exterior
Black Magic is in the Top Exterior Colors collection and is searched most as a door and exterior color. Full sun lifts it to a very dark charcoal for the middle of the day, and it returns to black in shade and by evening. Tricorn Black SW 6258 behaves the same way, so pick between them on the chip, not on the wall. On siding it suits a modern house with a standing-seam roof and Extra White SW 7006 trim. On a front door or shutters it works against nearly any siding color. A black runs hot in sun, so confirm that vinyl or composite siding is rated for it.
Try Black Magic on your own walls
Upload a photo of your room, or the outside of your house, and TryMyHome renders Black Magic onto the walls for an illustrative preview beside your floors and furniture. Confirm the color with a physical sample. Your first 3 renders are free.
Black Magic vs Tricorn Black, Caviar and Iron Ore
Tricorn BlackBlack MagicBlack Magic vs Tricorn Black SW 6258
Black Magic is a touch lighter; both fall in our no distinct lean category. Based on published LRV and our swatch classification.
Tricorn Black SW 6258 is one step darker on the same fan-deck strip, an LRV of 3 for both once rounded, and the two measure as near-identical neutrals. No wall, door or house will show the gap. The practical difference is that Tricorn Black is the better-known name, so it is easier to find already painted in showrooms and photos. Pick either; if you liked a Tricorn Black sample and want the same result, this is it.
CaviarBlack MagicBlack Magic vs Caviar SW 6990
Black Magic is a touch lighter; both fall in our no distinct lean category. Based on published LRV and our swatch classification.
Caviar SW 6990 is the other neighbor, a tenth of a point lighter by LRV and the closest match on the whole fan deck. Both fall in our lowest-chroma category, making them useful alternatives to sample; neither should be used to touch up the other. Caviar carries the same coordinating white, Snowbound SW 7004. For a door, compare samples in the intended finish and use the selected paint for the whole surface.
Iron OreBlack MagicBlack Magic vs Iron Ore SW 7069
Black Magic is a touch darker; both fall in our no distinct lean category. Based on published LRV and our swatch classification.
Iron Ore SW 7069 is the lightest color on this strip, reflecting nearly twice the light of Black Magic, and it reads as charcoal where Black Magic reads black. Both are neutral. Pick Iron Ore for a whole exterior or a room of walls, where a little gray keeps the surface from going flat. Pick Black Magic when you want an unmistakable black: a door, window frames, a hood, one wall in a bright room.
Questions about Black Magic
Does Black Magic look blue or purple?
Black Magic can show a blue or purple-looking cast under some lighting. Its published coordinates have a very faint violet trace and fall in our lowest-chroma category; that threshold does not mean a cast is impossible. Compare it beside your trim in the intended finish.
What colors go with Black Magic?
Sherwin-Williams lists Snowbound SW 7004 as the trim and ceiling white for Black Magic. The listed accents, Lemon Meringue SW 7561 and Anjou Pear SW 6381, are warm yellows that keep a black scheme from feeling cold. In practice any white and any wood suit it, and white oak, marble and brass are the usual companions. A light greige on the surrounding walls keeps an open plan from going dark.
Is Black Magic good for a front door?
Yes. A front door is one of its two most common uses, and it is rated for exterior use. In sun the door lifts to a very dark charcoal and in shade it is black; compare it beside the siding to check the undertone. Semi-gloss gives the cleanest black on a door and wipes down easily. Brass, black and nickel hardware all suit it.
What is one shade lighter than Black Magic?
Inkwell SW 6992 and Black of Night SW 6993 sit one step lighter on the fan-deck strip, at the same LRV as each other. Both are small swatch steps to compare on physical samples. The first lighter black you can see is Greenblack SW 6994, and the first that reads charcoal is Iron Ore SW 7069. One step darker is Caviar SW 6990, then Tricorn Black SW 6258, both close swatch alternatives.
Get a sample before you paint
Use the visualizer to narrow your shortlist, then confirm the finalist on your actual wall. A peel-and-stick sample of Black Magic, checked in morning and evening light, is the last step before a gallon.
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Trim, ceiling and coordinating colors for Black Magic
Sherwin-Williams pairs Black Magic with Snowbound SW 7004 for trim and ceilings, a soft warm white that keeps a black room from looking stark. Because the black has no lean, any white works and the choice is about contrast: Extra White SW 7006 for the sharpest edge, Pure White SW 7005 in between, Alabaster SW 7008 for warmth. Where Black Magic is the trim, use the wall color's white on the ceiling.
Colors lighter and darker than Black Magic
Colors similar to Black Magic
Closest matches for Black Magic in other brands
These are the closest digital colors in our catalog, not equivalent paint formulas or touch-up substitutes. Compare physical samples in the same finish before choosing. See the comparison method.