Peppercorn vs Upward
Peppercorn and Upward come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Peppercorn belongs to the grey family and Upward to the blue family. The 48-point LRV gap — 57 for Upward vs 10 for Peppercorn — means Upward will open up a space more effectively. Where Peppercorn leans neutral, Upward reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of NaN puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Peppercorn vs Upward in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Peppercorn 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Peppercorn.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Upward reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Peppercorn.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Peppercorn vs Upward Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Peppercorn 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 Peppercorn comparisons
See how Peppercorn stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
