Colony Buff vs White Hyacinth
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Colony Buff belongs to the beige family and White Hyacinth to the beige-white family. White Hyacinth (LRV 80) reflects noticeably more light than Colony Buff (LRV 59), a difference of 21 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 11.8, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Colony Buff vs White Hyacinth in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Colony Buff and White Hyacinth 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 White Hyacinth will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Colony Buff would.
Color Details
Colony Buff vs White Hyacinth Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Colony Buff on one side and White Hyacinth 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.