Polished Mahogany vs Riverway
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Polished Mahogany belongs to the pink-red family and Riverway to the blue-grey family. At LRV 16 vs 3, Riverway will read as the brighter of the two — a 13-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Polished Mahogany's warm character against Riverway's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 36.0, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Polished Mahogany vs Riverway in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Polished Mahogany and Riverway in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Riverway returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Polished Mahogany vs Riverway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Polished Mahogany on one side and Riverway 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 Polished Mahogany comparisons
See how Polished Mahogany stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
