Natural Tan vs Upward
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Natural Tan reads as beige-greige, while Upward reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Natural Tan (LRV 65) reflects noticeably more light than Upward (LRV 57), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Natural Tan runs warm while Upward is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 14.3, 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.
Natural Tan vs Upward in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Natural Tan 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Natural Tan gives the walls a little more lift.
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 Tan reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Natural Tan reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 Tan reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 Tan reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 Tan reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Natural Tan gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Natural Tan reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Natural Tan vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Natural Tan 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.
More Natural Tan comparisons
See how Natural Tan stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
