Butternut vs Cupola Yellow
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Butternut belongs to the beige family and Cupola Yellow to the beige-yellow family. Cupola Yellow (LRV 53) reflects noticeably more light than Butternut (LRV 37), a difference of 16 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 17.3, 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.
Butternut vs Cupola Yellow in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Butternut and Cupola Yellow in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 Cupola Yellow will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Butternut would.
Color Details
Butternut vs Cupola Yellow Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Butternut on one side and Cupola Yellow 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 Butternut comparisons
See how Butternut stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 37), opening up a space where Butternut encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 37, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (37 vs 30) makes Butternut the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 37, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 37), opening up a space where Butternut encloses it.
Butternut reads slightly lighter (LRV 37 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (43 vs 37) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 37), opening up a space where Butternut encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 37, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 37), opening up a space where Butternut encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 37), opening up a space where Butternut encloses it.
Butternut reflects far more light (LRV 37 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 37), opening up a space where Butternut encloses it.
Butternut reflects far more light (LRV 37 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (37 vs 31) makes Butternut the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 37 vs 7, Butternut is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 37 vs 24, Butternut is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 37, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.