Autumnal vs Dakota Wheat
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Both sit in the beige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Dakota Wheat (LRV 54) reflects noticeably more light than Autumnal (LRV 33), a difference of 22 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 20.9, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Autumnal vs Dakota Wheat in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Autumnal and Dakota Wheat 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 Dakota Wheat will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Autumnal would.
Color Details
Autumnal vs Dakota Wheat Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Autumnal on one side and Dakota Wheat 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.