Almond Roca vs Cardboard
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. Almond Roca (LRV 25) reflects noticeably more light than Cardboard (LRV 22), a difference of 4 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. The ΔE 4.0 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Almond Roca vs Cardboard in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Almond Roca and Cardboard 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Almond Roca gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Almond Roca reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Almond Roca reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Almond Roca has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Almond Roca reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Almond Roca reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Almond Roca has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Almond Roca has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Almond Roca reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Almond Roca gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Almond Roca vs Cardboard Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Almond Roca on one side and Cardboard 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 Almond Roca comparisons
See how Almond Roca stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 25, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Almond Roca reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 25, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (30 vs 25) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 25, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
With LRVs of 27 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 25, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 4, Almond Roca is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
Almond Roca reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 25, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (25 vs 21) makes Almond Roca the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
Almond Roca reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 25, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 25, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 25), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Almond Roca reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 25), opening up a space where Almond Roca encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (31 vs 25) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 25 vs 7, Almond Roca is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 25, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.