Irish Cream vs Upward
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Irish Cream reads as beige, while Upward reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Irish Cream (LRV 66) reflects noticeably more light than Upward (LRV 57), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Irish Cream runs warm while Upward is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 20.5, 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.
Irish Cream vs Upward in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Irish Cream and Upward 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 Irish Cream will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Upward would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Irish Cream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Upward.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Irish Cream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Upward.
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. Irish Cream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Upward.
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. Irish Cream reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Upward.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Irish Cream returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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 Upward.
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 Irish Cream will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Upward would.
Color Details
Irish Cream vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Irish Cream on one side and Upward 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.