Auric vs Pure White
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Auric reads as beige, while Pure White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Pure White (LRV 84) reflects noticeably more light than Auric (LRV 30), a difference of 54 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 68.6, 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 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Auric vs Pure White in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Auric and Pure White 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 Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Auric would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Auric.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Auric.
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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Auric.
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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Auric.
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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Auric.
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 Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Auric would.
Color Details
Auric vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Auric on one side and Pure White 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 Auric comparisons
See how Auric stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 30, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 30), opening up a space where Auric encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 30, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 30), opening up a space where Auric encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 30, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 30 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 30), opening up a space where Auric encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 30, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 30, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 30, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 30, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Auric is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 30, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Auric is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 30, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 31 and 30, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Auric reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Auric reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 30), opening up a space where Auric encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 30), opening up a space where Auric encloses it.