Ecru vs Macadamia
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (51 vs 49), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 5.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ecru vs Macadamia in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Ecru and Macadamia are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Ecru vs Macadamia Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ecru on one side and Macadamia 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.