Colony Buff vs Dirty Martini
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. Dirty Martini (LRV 64) reflects noticeably more light than Colony Buff (LRV 59), a difference of 5 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. The ΔE 4.9 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Colony Buff vs Dirty Martini in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Colony Buff and Dirty Martini 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Dirty Martini gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Dirty Martini reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Colony Buff vs Dirty Martini Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Colony Buff on one side and Dirty Martini 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 Colony Buff comparisons
See how Colony Buff stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 59, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 59 vs 6, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Colony Buff reads slightly lighter (LRV 59 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (59 vs 52) makes Colony Buff the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 60 and 59, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 59 vs 58), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 59 vs 27, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (59 vs 55) makes Colony Buff the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 59 vs 13, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 44, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 59), opening up a space where Colony Buff encloses it.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (66 vs 59) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 74 vs 59, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 59, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 12, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (68 vs 59) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 59), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 59 vs 12, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 59 vs 45, Colony Buff is decisively the brighter choice.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Colony Buff reflects far more light (LRV 59 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
With LRVs of 59 and 57, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.