Bauhaus Buff vs Chrysanthemum
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Bauhaus Buff belongs to the beige family and Chrysanthemum to the beige-pink family. Bauhaus Buff (LRV 72) reflects noticeably more light than Chrysanthemum (LRV 27), a difference of 45 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 42.8, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Bauhaus Buff vs Chrysanthemum in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Bauhaus Buff and Chrysanthemum 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 Bauhaus Buff will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Chrysanthemum would.
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. Bauhaus Buff reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Chrysanthemum.
Color Details
Bauhaus Buff vs Chrysanthemum Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Bauhaus Buff on one side and Chrysanthemum 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.