Colony Buff vs Passageway
Where Colony Buff belongs to Sherwin-Williams's range, Passageway is a Valspar color. Hue-wise, Colony Buff belongs to the beige family and Passageway to the blue-grey family. Colony Buff (LRV 59) reflects noticeably more light than Passageway (LRV 14), a difference of 45 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 45.1, 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.
Colony Buff vs Passageway in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Colony Buff and Passageway 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 Colony Buff will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Passageway would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Colony Buff reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Passageway.
Color Details
Colony Buff vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Colony Buff on one side and Passageway 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.
