Acanthus vs Celery
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Acanthus reads as beige-greige, while Celery reads as beige-yellow — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Celery (LRV 71) reflects noticeably more light than Acanthus (LRV 60), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Acanthus runs neutral while Celery is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 6.8 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Acanthus vs Celery in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Acanthus and Celery 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 LRV gap is large enough that Celery will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Acanthus would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Celery reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Acanthus.
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. Celery reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Acanthus.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Celery reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Acanthus.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Celery reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Acanthus.
Color Details
Acanthus vs Celery Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Acanthus on one side and Celery 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 Acanthus comparisons
See how Acanthus stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
