Sherwin-Williams ShiitakevsSherwin-Williams Natural Linen
Why this comparison: Two trending soft beiges; Shiitake is deeper with a mushroom cast. Shiitake and Natural Linen are close but distinct (ΔE 5.72). Visible difference on the wall, especially in flat daylight.
Built from our full reviews of both colors — same measured data, same real-room photos. About the testing process →
The Numbers
Natural Linen is meaningfully lighter (LRV 66 vs 51). On a wall, Natural Linen reads light, airy; Shiitake reads light, airy.
What Each Color Really Is
A muted mushroom-taupe from Sherwin-Williams' food-named neutral cluster — Shiitake sits in the same drawer as Perfect Greige and Mega Greige, and the name is doing real work: it is trying to signal "earthy, not beige" the way those two do. The hex #C8BCAB reads as a warm greige on paper, but on a wall the color behaves less like a fixed number and more like a negotiation between your light and your undertone.
That negotiation is the whole story. Reviewers describe it landing anywhere from a soft dusty rose-taupe to a cool pebble gray depending on the room, and both descriptions are accurate — they're just describing different lighting conditions on the same paint. At LRV 51 it reflects a middle amount of light, deep enough to hold real color on the wall, light enough to stay out of "moody accent" territory. That mid-LRV range is exactly where undertone drift shows up hardest; a very light or very dark neutral hides its shift, a mid-tone one wears it on its sleeve.
A light warm beige with an orange-gold direction, and it does not hide it. The hue sits at 40 degrees with roughly 37 percent saturation, which is the tan side of warm rather than the yellow side, and the hex #E1D5BD shows blue dropping well behind red and green. There is almost no gray in it. That matters, because most of the popular "warm neutrals" of the last ten years are greiges with a little beige stirred in; Natural Linen is the opposite. It is beige first, and the warmth is the point rather than an undertone you have to hunt for.
At LRV 67 it reflects a good share of the light in the room but never pretends to be a white. Put it next to Accessible Beige SW 7036 at LRV 58 and Natural Linen is clearly the lighter, cleaner, warmer one; put it next to Shoji White SW 7042 at LRV 74 and it suddenly has body and color. That middle position is the useful part. It brightens a dim room without going pale, and it stays visible on a big open wall that would look blank in white.
Specs Side by Side
| Spec | Shiitake | Natural Linen |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams | Sherwin-Williams |
| SKU | SW 9173 | SW 9109 |
| Hex | #C8BCAB | #DFD3C3 |
| RGB | 200, 188, 171 | 223, 211, 195 |
| LRV | 51 | 66 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral | Neutral |
How Light Changes Them
The taupe holds its warmth and edges toward a soft dusty rose without tipping into pink. The most flattering, most photographed version of this color.
Strips the warmth out and leaves a flat pebble gray with none of the character that sold the sample. Swap bulbs before you repaint.
Cooler and more restrained at midday, warmer and rosier as the light angles low. Most owners like the movement; test at both ends of the day first.
2700K warm bulbs bring the dusty-pink side forward for a cozy night read. Cool white LEDs push it back toward flat gray — the single biggest lever you control without repainting.
Cool daylight mutes the gold and the wall reads soft warm sand. Its best room.
Strong afternoon sun pushes it yellow-tan and slightly washed out for a couple of hours.
2700K lamps deepen the sand and it turns cozy. Cool 4000K LEDs flatten it to putty.
Gray LVP or blue-gray tile throws the warmth into relief and it reads yellow. Sample big.
Both Colors in Real Rooms
Photos from our full reviews — the same rooms and captions, so you can judge each color where it actually lives, not on a chip.
When to Pick Which
Living rooms and bedrooms with mixed daylight · rooms already planning a navy or dark-wood accent · buyers who want greige with more personality than Agreeable Gray · a mushroom-family neutral that isn't Perfect Greige
You need one fixed color you can predict from the chip · your room runs on cool LEDs all day with little daylight · you're pairing it with a stark cool-white trim and expecting a clean match · you want a color people never argue about
North-facing rooms that feel cold in gray · honey oak floors and 2000s tan tile · whole-house warmth without going tan · bedrooms and dining rooms under lamplight
Your cabinets or trim are already cream · your floors are cool gray LVP · you want a modern gray-neutral look · your room takes hard west sun all afternoon
No comparison page can see your light. Upload one photo of your room and try both colors on the same walls, seconds apart.
Shiitake vs Natural Linen FAQ
Which is lighter, Shiitake or Natural Linen?
Natural Linen is lighter: LRV 66 vs 51. Natural Linen is meaningfully lighter (LRV 66 vs 51). On a wall, Natural Linen reads light, airy; Shiitake reads light, airy.
Which is warmer, Shiitake or Natural Linen?
They share the same undertone family — both read red-orange / warm. The difference between them is lightness and depth, not temperature.
How similar are Shiitake and Natural Linen?
Shiitake and Natural Linen are close but distinct (ΔE 5.72). Visible difference on the wall, especially in flat daylight. The only reliable test is seeing both in your own room and light — a side-by-side on a screen or chip flattens the difference.
Can I use Shiitake and Natural Linen together in one house?
Yes, in separate rooms. They are close enough to feel related but different enough to notice, so give each its own room and connect them with a shared trim white. Avoid putting them on adjoining walls.
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