Joa's White vs Softer Tan
Where Joa's White belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Softer Tan is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Joa's White belongs to the beige-white family and Softer Tan to the beige family. Joa's White (LRV 64) reflects noticeably more light than Softer Tan (LRV 60), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. At ΔE 2.1, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Joa's White vs Softer Tan in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Joa's White and Softer Tan are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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 brightness difference is modest but present — Joa's White gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Joa's White reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Joa's White reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Joa's White reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Joa's White reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Joa's White vs Softer Tan Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Joa's White on one side and Softer Tan 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 Joa's White comparisons
See how Joa's White stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 5-point LRV gap (69 vs 64) makes Ammonite the marginally brighter of the two.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 64), opening up a space where Joa's White encloses it.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (64 vs 52) makes Joa's White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 64 vs 30, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (64 vs 60) makes Joa's White the marginally brighter of the two.
Joa's White reads slightly lighter (LRV 64 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 64 vs 43, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 64 vs 4, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.
Joa's White reads slightly lighter (LRV 64 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 64, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 64 vs 21, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 66 and 64, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 64), opening up a space where Joa's White encloses it.
At LRV 64 vs 51, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 64 vs 41, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Joa's White reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 64 vs 31, Joa's White is decisively the brighter choice.