Refuge vs Truly Taupe
Refuge and Truly Taupe come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Refuge reads as blue, while Truly Taupe reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 17-point LRV gap — 35 for Truly Taupe vs 19 for Refuge — means Truly Taupe will open up a space more effectively. Where Refuge leans cool, Truly Taupe reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 23.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Refuge vs Truly Taupe in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Refuge and Truly Taupe 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. Truly Taupe reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Refuge.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Truly Taupe 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. Truly Taupe 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. Truly Taupe reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Refuge.
Color Details
Refuge vs Truly Taupe Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Refuge on one side and Truly Taupe 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.