Elephant Ear vs Virtual Taupe
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Elephant Ear (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Virtual Taupe (LRV 20), a difference of 8 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. The ΔE 9.1 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elephant Ear vs Virtual Taupe in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Elephant Ear and Virtual Taupe 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.
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. Elephant Ear reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Elephant Ear vs Virtual Taupe Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Ear on one side and Virtual Taupe 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 Elephant Ear comparisons
See how Elephant Ear stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
