Truly Taupe vs Upward paint color comparison

Truly Taupe vs Upward

Truly TaupeSherwin-WilliamsvsUpwardSherwin-WilliamsΔE 18.5 — Distinct 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
LRV35.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6038
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Upward
Sherwin-Williams · 6239
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.