Alabaster vs Wheat Penny
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Alabaster reads as beige-greige, while Wheat Penny reads as beige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Alabaster (LRV 82) reflects noticeably more light than Wheat Penny (LRV 18), a difference of 65 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 48.5, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Alabaster vs Wheat Penny in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Alabaster and Wheat Penny 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
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 Alabaster will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Wheat Penny would.
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. Alabaster reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Wheat Penny.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Alabaster will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Wheat Penny would.
Color Details
Alabaster vs Wheat Penny Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Alabaster on one side and Wheat Penny 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 Alabaster comparisons
See how Alabaster stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
