Arresting Auburn vs Merlot
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both pinks, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink to land. With LRVs of 5 and 4, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. They share a warm quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 9.0, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Arresting Auburn vs Merlot in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Arresting Auburn and Merlot 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.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Arresting Auburn vs Merlot Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Arresting Auburn on one side and Merlot 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.