Auger Shell vs Truly Taupe paint color comparison

Auger Shell vs Truly Taupe

Auger Shell and Truly Taupe come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Auger Shell belongs to the grey family and Truly Taupe to the greige-grey family. The 5-point LRV gap — 35 for Truly Taupe vs 30 for Auger Shell — means Truly Taupe will open up a space more effectively. Where Auger Shell leans neutral, Truly Taupe reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 5.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Auger Shell vs Truly Taupe in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Auger Shell 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.

Auger ShellA organic modern living room painted in Auger Shell

@mybudgetrecipes

Truly TaupeSherwin Williams Truly Taupe Living Room

@toptierprofessionalpainting

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.

Auger ShellAuger Shell — classy kitchen

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Truly Taupe has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Auger ShellAuger Shell — wabi-sabi bathroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Truly TaupeSW Truly Taupe bathroom interior

@burge_painting_co

House

A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Truly Taupe has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Auger ShellAuger Shell color — aesthetic house inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

Truly TaupeSW Truly Taupe exterior paint

@light_on_the_hill

Front Door

On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Auger Shellscandinavian front door featuring Auger Shell by Sherwin-Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Truly TaupeTruly Taupe Garage Door

@drippaintingcompany

Color Details

Auger Shell
Sherwin-Williams · 9159
LRV30.1
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9159
Undertone—
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Truly Taupe
Sherwin-Williams · 6038
LRV35.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6038
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Auger Shell vs Truly Taupe Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Auger Shell on one side and Truly Taupe on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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.