Faded Flaxflower vs Pure White

Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Faded Flaxflower reads as blue, while Pure White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Pure White (LRV 84) reflects noticeably more light than Faded Flaxflower (LRV 44), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Faded Flaxflower runs cool while Pure White is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 24.6, 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 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Faded Flaxflower vs Pure White in Real Spaces

8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Faded Flaxflower and Pure White 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 Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Faded Flaxflower would.

Faded FlaxflowerFaded Flaxflower — elegant living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Pure WhitePure White SW 7005 7005 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Faded Flaxflower.

Faded FlaxflowerFaded Flaxflower — industrial bedroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Pure White7005 bedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Pure White

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Faded Flaxflower.

Faded FlaxflowerFaded Flaxflower color — modern luxury kitchen inspiration

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Pure WhiteSherwin Williams Pure White 7005 kitchen cabinets

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Faded Flaxflower.

Faded FlaxflowerSherwin Williams Faded Flaxflower Bathroom Vanity

@diy_afterdark

Pure WhiteWhite 7005 bathroom in Pure White by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Home Office

The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Faded Flaxflower.

Faded Flaxflowerneutral home office featuring Faded Flaxflower by Sherwin-Williams

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Pure WhiteSW 7005 7005 home office inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Faded Flaxflower.

Faded FlaxflowerSherwin-Williams Faded Flaxflower in a traditional house

@mybudgetrecipes

Pure WhitePure White 7005 house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

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 Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Faded Flaxflower would.

Faded FlaxflowerFaded Flaxflower paint in a classy front door

@mybudgetrecipes

Pure WhiteWhite 7005 front door with Pure White SW 7005

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Faded Flaxflower.

Faded FlaxflowerSw 9146 Kitchen Cabinets

@ourlittlemagnoliahome

Pure WhiteSherwin Williams Pure White kitchen cabinets color

@the.house.of.harrington

Color Details

Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams · 9146
Hex#9EB4C0
LRV43.6
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9146
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams · 7005
Hex#EDECE6
LRV84.0
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7005
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Faded Flaxflower vs Pure White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Faded Flaxflower on one side and Pure White on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Faded Flaxflower comparisons

See how Faded Flaxflower stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Faded Flaxflower
White Dove
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 44), opening up a space where Faded Flaxflower encloses it.

Ammonite
Faded Flaxflower
Ammonite
Faded Flaxflower
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 69 vs 44, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Faded Flaxflower
Iron Ore
Faded Flaxflower
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Faded Flaxflower reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.

Purbeck Stone
Faded Flaxflower
Purbeck Stone
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

A 8-point LRV gap (52 vs 44) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.

Evergreen Fog
Faded Flaxflower
Evergreen Fog
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 44 vs 30, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Mizzle
Faded Flaxflower
Mizzle
Faded Flaxflower
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Agreeable Gray
Faded Flaxflower
Agreeable Gray
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 60 vs 44, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Accessible Beige
Faded Flaxflower
Accessible Beige
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 44), opening up a space where Faded Flaxflower encloses it.

Denim Drift
Faded Flaxflower
Denim Drift
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Faded Flaxflower reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.

French Gray
Faded Flaxflower
French Gray
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Faded Flaxflower
Naval
Faded Flaxflower
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

At LRV 44 vs 4, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Tranquil Dawn
Faded Flaxflower
Tranquil Dawn
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Bancha
Faded Flaxflower
Bancha
Faded Flaxflower
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Faded Flaxflower reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.

Hardwick White
Faded Flaxflower
Hardwick White
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

With LRVs of 44 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Artichoke
Faded Flaxflower
Artichoke
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 44 vs 21, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Faded Flaxflower
Balboa Mist
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 44), opening up a space where Faded Flaxflower encloses it.

Faded Flaxflower
Shoji White
Faded Flaxflower
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 44), opening up a space where Faded Flaxflower encloses it.

Faded Flaxflower
Snowbound
Faded Flaxflower
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 44), opening up a space where Faded Flaxflower encloses it.

Faded Flaxflower
Pewter Green
Faded Flaxflower
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Faded Flaxflower reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.

Skimming Stone
Faded Flaxflower
Skimming Stone
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 44), opening up a space where Faded Flaxflower encloses it.

Dix Blue
Faded Flaxflower
Dix Blue
Faded Flaxflower
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 41), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Calamine
Faded Flaxflower
Calamine
Faded Flaxflower
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 68 vs 44, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.

Treron
Faded Flaxflower
Treron
Faded Flaxflower
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 44 vs 25, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Vintage Vogue
Faded Flaxflower
Vintage Vogue
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

Faded Flaxflower reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.

Saybrook Sage
Faded Flaxflower
Saybrook Sage
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

With LRVs of 45 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Pale Green
Faded Flaxflower
Pale Green
Faded Flaxflower
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 44 vs 31, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Pine Needle
Faded Flaxflower
Pine Needle
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 44 vs 7, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Cement grey
Faded Flaxflower
Cement grey
Faded Flaxflower
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 44 vs 24, Faded Flaxflower is decisively the brighter choice.

Guilford Green
Faded Flaxflower
Guilford Green
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 57 vs 44, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Just Walnut
Faded Flaxflower
Just Walnut
Faded Flaxflower
Sherwin-Williams
Faded Flaxflower
9146 · LRV 44

At LRV 72 vs 44, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.

Faded Flaxflower vs Pure White Paint Color Comparison