Believable Buff vs Colony Buff
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (59 vs 59), so they'll read as similarly Light in most lighting conditions. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. At ΔE 2.3, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Believable Buff vs Colony Buff in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Believable Buff and Colony Buff 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
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 two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
Believable Buff vs Colony Buff Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Believable Buff on one side and Colony Buff 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 Believable Buff comparisons
See how Believable Buff stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 59), opening up a space where Believable Buff encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (69 vs 59) makes Ammonite the marginally brighter of the two.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (59 vs 52) makes Believable Buff the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 59 vs 30, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Believable Buff reads slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 59), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 59 and 58, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 59 vs 43, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 4, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Believable Buff reads slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 59, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 21, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 59), opening up a space where Believable Buff encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 59), opening up a space where Believable Buff encloses it.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 59 vs 41, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (68 vs 59) makes Calamine the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 59 vs 25, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Believable Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 59 vs 31, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 7, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 24, Believable Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 59 vs 57), so neither reads brighter in a room.