Elegant vs Upward
Elegant is a Jotun color while Upward comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Elegant belongs to the grey family and Upward to the blue family. At LRV 57 vs 11, Upward will read as the brighter of the two — a 46-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Elegant's neutral character against Upward's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 41.6, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elegant vs Upward in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Elegant and Upward 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Elegant would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Elegant would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Elegant would.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Elegant would.
Color Details
Elegant vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elegant on one side and Upward 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 Elegant comparisons
See how Elegant stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
