Paperwhite vs Summer White
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. These are both beige-whites, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-white to land. At LRV 87 vs 83, Paperwhite will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a warm quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. With a ΔE of 2.5, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Paperwhite vs Summer White in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Paperwhite and Summer White are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Paperwhite has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Paperwhite vs Summer White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Paperwhite on one side and Summer White 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 Paperwhite comparisons
See how Paperwhite stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Paperwhite reads slightly lighter (LRV 87 vs 83), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 87 vs 69, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 87 vs 52, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 30, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
At LRV 87 vs 60, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 87 vs 43, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 4, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 87 vs 84), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 87 vs 21, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 74), opening up a space where Shoji White encloses it.
Paperwhite reads slightly lighter (LRV 87 vs 83), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
At LRV 87 vs 41, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 68, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 25, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Paperwhite reflects far more light (LRV 87 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 87 vs 31, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 7, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 24, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 87 vs 57, Paperwhite is decisively the brighter choice.