Downing Straw vs Irish Cream
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. Irish Cream (LRV 66) reflects noticeably more light than Downing Straw (LRV 43), a difference of 23 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 18.8, 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.
Downing Straw vs Irish Cream in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Downing Straw and Irish Cream 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. Irish Cream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Downing Straw.
Color Details
Downing Straw vs Irish Cream Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Downing Straw on one side and Irish Cream 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.