Middle Buff vs Kumquat
Middle Buff (Little Greene) and Kumquat (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. The 20-point LRV gap — 41 for Kumquat vs 22 for Middle Buff — means Kumquat will open up a space more effectively. Where Middle Buff leans red, Kumquat reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 18.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Middle Buff vs Kumquat in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Middle Buff and Kumquat 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. Kumquat reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Middle Buff.
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. Kumquat returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Middle Buff vs Kumquat Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Middle Buff on one side and Kumquat 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 Middle Buff comparisons
See how Middle Buff stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 22, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
At LRV 22 vs 6, Middle Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 22), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 22, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 22, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (27 vs 22) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
Middle Buff reflects far more light (LRV 22 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 22, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (22 vs 13) makes Middle Buff the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 22, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
With LRVs of 22 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 22, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 22, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 22, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (22 vs 12) makes Middle Buff the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 22, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 22), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (22 vs 12) makes Middle Buff the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 22, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 22), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Middle Buff reflects far more light (LRV 22 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 24 and 22, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 22), opening up a space where Middle Buff encloses it.