Natural Linen vs Upward
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Natural Linen reads as beige, while Upward reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Natural Linen (LRV 66) reflects noticeably more light than Upward (LRV 57), a difference of 9 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Natural Linen runs warm while Upward is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 15.2, 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 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Natural Linen vs Upward in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Natural Linen 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 Natural Linen 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. Natural Linen 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. Natural Linen 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. Natural Linen 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. Natural Linen reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Upward.
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. Natural Linen 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 Natural Linen will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Upward would.
Color Details
Natural Linen vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Natural Linen 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.