African Gray vs Truly Taupe
African Gray and Truly Taupe come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. African Gray reads as grey, while Truly Taupe reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 4-point LRV gap — 35 for Truly Taupe vs 31 for African Gray — means Truly Taupe will open up a space more effectively. Where African Gray leans neutral, Truly Taupe reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 9.4 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
African Gray vs Truly Taupe in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. African Gray and Truly Taupe 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. Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Truly Taupe has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
African Gray vs Truly Taupe Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see African Gray on one side and Truly Taupe 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 African Gray comparisons
See how African Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
