Crabby Apple vs Riverway
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Crabby Apple reads as pink-red, while Riverway reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Riverway (LRV 16) reflects noticeably more light than Crabby Apple (LRV 7), a difference of 9 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Crabby Apple runs warm while Riverway is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 43.0, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Crabby Apple vs Riverway in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Crabby Apple and Riverway 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 Riverway will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Crabby Apple would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Riverway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Crabby Apple.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Riverway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Crabby Apple.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Riverway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Crabby Apple.
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 Riverway will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Crabby Apple would.
Color Details
Crabby Apple vs Riverway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Crabby Apple on one side and Riverway 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.