Dirty Martini vs Downing Straw
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 Downing Straw (LRV 43), 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 18.7, 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.
Dirty Martini vs Downing Straw in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Dirty Martini and Downing Straw in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Dirty Martini reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Downing Straw.
Color Details
Dirty Martini vs Downing Straw Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dirty Martini on one side and Downing Straw 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.