Natural Tan vs Paper
Where Natural Tan belongs to Sherwin-Williams's range, Paper is a Tikkurila color. These are both beige-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-greige to land. Paper (LRV 88) reflects noticeably more light than Natural Tan (LRV 65), a difference of 23 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 12.6, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Natural Tan vs Paper in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Natural Tan and Paper 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 Paper will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Natural Tan 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. Paper reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Natural Tan.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Paper reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Natural Tan.
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. Paper reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Natural Tan.
Color Details
Natural Tan vs Paper Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Natural Tan on one side and Paper 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.
