Buttercup vs Pure White
Buttercup (Benjamin Moore) and Pure White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Buttercup belongs to the beige family and Pure White to the beige-greige family. The 45-point LRV gap — 84 for Pure White vs 39 for Buttercup — means Pure White will open up a space more effectively. Where Buttercup leans red, Pure White reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 54.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Buttercup vs Pure White in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Buttercup and Pure White 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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Buttercup.
Color Details
Buttercup vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Buttercup on one side and Pure White 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 Buttercup comparisons
See how Buttercup stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 39, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 39), opening up a space where Buttercup encloses it.
Buttercup reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 39), opening up a space where Buttercup encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 39, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 12-point LRV gap (39 vs 27) makes Buttercup the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 39, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (44 vs 39) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 66 vs 39, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 39, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, Buttercup is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 39, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, Buttercup is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 39) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Buttercup reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Buttercup reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Buttercup reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 39), opening up a space where Buttercup encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 39), opening up a space where Buttercup encloses it.