Celtic Forest 3 vs Pale Nutmeg

Celtic Forest 3DuluxvsPale NutmegDuluxΔE 15.8Distinct difference

Celtic Forest 3 and Pale Nutmeg come from the same Dulux collection. Both sit in the beige-greige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 22-point LRV gap — 74 for Pale Nutmeg vs 52 for Celtic Forest 3 — means Pale Nutmeg will open up a space more effectively. Both share a warm character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 15.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Celtic Forest 3 vs Pale Nutmeg in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Celtic Forest 3 and Pale Nutmeg 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. Pale Nutmeg reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Celtic Forest 3.

Celtic Forest 3Dulux Fresh Artichoke living room color review

@dbpaintingdecorating_npt

Pale NutmegDulux Nutmeg White scandinavian living room color

@_homebymia

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Pale Nutmeg returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Celtic Forest 3Dulux Fresh Artichoke bedroom inspiration

@myscottishhomebytheclyde

Pale NutmegNutmeg White bedroom interior

@bekshouse

Kitchen

Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Pale Nutmeg returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Celtic Forest 3Celtic Forest 3 kitchen accent wall

@lsa_decor

Pale NutmegDulux Nutmeg White kitchen interior

@marlow_house_redrow

Bathroom

Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Pale Nutmeg returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Celtic Forest 3Dulux Fresh Artichoke bathroom paint

@thedecoratingduo

Pale NutmegDulux Nutmeg White bathroom picture

@chlo.at.home

Color Details

Celtic Forest 3
Dulux · 90YY 52/138
Hex#C1BEA2
LRV52.0
BrandDulux
Number90YY 52/138
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Pale Nutmeg
Dulux · 10YY 73/042
Hex#E3DCD4
LRV74.0
BrandDulux
Number10YY 73/042
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Celtic Forest 3 vs Pale Nutmeg Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Celtic Forest 3 on one side and Pale Nutmeg on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Celtic Forest 3 comparisons

See how Celtic Forest 3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Celtic Forest 3
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Celtic Forest 3
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
Celtic Forest 3
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Celtic Forest 3
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Nearly identical in tone

Evergreen Fog
Celtic Forest 3
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Celtic Forest 3 reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Celtic Forest 3
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Nearly identical in tone

Agreeable Gray
Celtic Forest 3
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter

Denim Drift
Celtic Forest 3
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Celtic Forest 3
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Celtic Forest 3
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Celtic Forest 3
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Celtic Forest 3
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Celtic Forest 3 reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Celtic Forest 3
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Celtic Forest 3
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Black grey
Celtic Forest 3
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Piazza
Celtic Forest 3
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
Celtic Forest 3
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
Celtic Forest 3
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Celtic Forest 3 reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Celtic Forest 3
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Celtic Forest 3 reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Celtic Forest 3
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Celtic Forest 3
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Tea with Florence
Celtic Forest 3
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Celtic Forest 3
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Celtic Forest 3 reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Celtic Forest 3
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Celtic Forest 3
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Celtic Forest 3 reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Celtic Forest 3
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Celtic Forest 3 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Celtic Forest 3
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-1
Celtic Forest 3
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Celtic Forest 3
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Celtic Forest 3
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Celtic Forest 3 is the lighter choice