Pigeon Feather vs Upward
Pigeon Feather (PPG) and Upward (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Pigeon Feather belongs to the grey family and Upward to the blue family. The 9-point LRV gap — 57 for Upward vs 48 for Pigeon Feather — means Upward will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 8.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pigeon Feather vs Upward in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Pigeon Feather and Upward 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
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. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Pigeon Feather.
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. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Mudroom
In a hardworking space like a mudroom, the depth and warmth of a color reads differently than in a quieter room. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Pigeon Feather would.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Pigeon Feather.
Color Details
Pigeon Feather vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pigeon Feather 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 Pigeon Feather comparisons
See how Pigeon Feather stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
