Artisan Tan vs Malabar
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Artisan Tan reads as beige-greige, while Malabar reads as beige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Malabar (LRV 53) reflects noticeably more light than Artisan Tan (LRV 33), a difference of 20 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 15.3, 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.
Artisan Tan vs Malabar in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Artisan Tan and Malabar 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 Malabar will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artisan Tan would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Malabar reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artisan Tan.
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. Malabar reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artisan Tan.
Color Details
Artisan Tan vs Malabar Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Artisan Tan on one side and Malabar 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 Artisan Tan comparisons
See how Artisan Tan stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 33, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 33), opening up a space where Artisan Tan encloses it.
At LRV 33 vs 6, Artisan Tan is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 33), opening up a space where Artisan Tan encloses it.
With LRVs of 33 and 30, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 33, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 33), opening up a space where Artisan Tan encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 33, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (33 vs 27) makes Artisan Tan the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 33), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Artisan Tan reflects far more light (LRV 33 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 33, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 33 vs 13, Artisan Tan is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (44 vs 33) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 33), opening up a space where Artisan Tan encloses it.
Artisan Tan reads slightly lighter (LRV 33 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 33, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 33, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 33, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 33 vs 12, Artisan Tan is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 33, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 33), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 33), opening up a space where Artisan Tan encloses it.
Artisan Tan reads slightly lighter (LRV 33 vs 25), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 33 vs 12, Artisan Tan is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 33, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 33 and 31, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Artisan Tan reflects far more light (LRV 33 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Artisan Tan reads slightly lighter (LRV 33 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 33), opening up a space where Artisan Tan encloses it.