Sticks & Stones vs Virtual Taupe
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. Sticks & Stones (LRV 31) reflects noticeably more light than Virtual Taupe (LRV 20), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 10.9, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Sticks & Stones vs Virtual Taupe in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Sticks & Stones and Virtual Taupe in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Sticks & Stones reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Virtual Taupe.
Color Details
Sticks & Stones vs Virtual Taupe Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Sticks & Stones on one side and Virtual 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.
More Sticks & Stones comparisons
See how Sticks & Stones stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
