Truly Taupe vs Upward

Truly TaupeSherwin-WilliamsvsUpwardSherwin-WilliamsΔE 18.5Distinct difference

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Truly Taupe belongs to the greige-grey family and Upward to the blue family. At LRV 57 vs 35, Upward will read as the brighter of the two — a 22-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Truly Taupe's warm character against Upward's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 18.5, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Truly Taupe vs Upward in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Truly Taupe 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

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. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Truly TaupeSherwin Williams Truly Taupe Living Room

@toptierprofessionalpainting

UpwardUpward SW 6239 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Truly Taupe would.

UpwardSherwin Williams Upward kitchen cabinets

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Truly Taupe would.

Truly TaupeSW Truly Taupe bathroom interior

@burge_painting_co

UpwardBlue bathroom in Upward by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Upward will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Truly Taupe would.

Truly TaupeSW Truly Taupe exterior paint

@light_on_the_hill

UpwardUpward house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Upward returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Truly TaupeTruly Taupe Garage Door

@drippaintingcompany

UpwardBlue front door with Upward SW 6239

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Truly Taupe
Sherwin-Williams · 6038
Hex#AC9E97
LRV35.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6038
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Upward
Sherwin-Williams · 6239
Hex#BFC9D0
LRV57.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6239
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight

Truly Taupe vs Upward Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Truly Taupe on one side and Upward on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Truly Taupe comparisons

See how Truly Taupe stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Truly Taupe
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Truly Taupe
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Truly Taupe
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Truly Taupe is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Truly Taupe
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Truly Taupe
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Truly Taupe
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Truly Taupe
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Truly Taupe
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Truly Taupe
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Truly Taupe
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Truly Taupe
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Truly Taupe reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Truly Taupe
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Truly Taupe
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Truly Taupe is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Truly Taupe
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

Black grey
Truly Taupe
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Truly Taupe is the lighter choice

Piazza
Truly Taupe
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Truly Taupe
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads noticeably lighter

Windmill Lane
Truly Taupe
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

Senses
Truly Taupe
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Truly Taupe
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Truly Taupe is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Truly Taupe
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Truly Taupe
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Truly Taupe reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Truly Taupe
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Truly Taupe
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Truly Taupe is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Truly Taupe
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Truly Taupe
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Truly Taupe reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Truly Taupe
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Truly Taupe
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Truly Taupe
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Truly Taupe
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Truly Taupe reads noticeably lighter