Truly Taupe
SW 6038 · #AC9E97 · LRV 35 — warm red-orange tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Anonymous20
- 2Felted Wool28
- 3Truly Taupe35
- 4Revere Pewter55
- 5Agreeable Gray60
What Color Is Truly Taupe, Really?
Truly Taupe reads as a warm red-orange tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6038 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Truly Taupe
Truly Taupe is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
How Lighting Changes Truly Taupe
Truly Taupe sits in the mid-range at LRV 35, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its orange undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Truly Taupe are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 6038 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Abbey StoneMQ2-56 · Behr | 2.5 | 36 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Smoked Oyster6005-1C · Valspar | 3.9 | 36.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Winter's NapPPG1018-4 · PPG / Glidden | 2.2 | 35 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Simmering SmokePPG1019-4 · Glidden | 2.5 | 35 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Iron Clawfoot447-3DB · Dutch Boy | 1.9 | 35 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Truly TaupeHGSW 3435 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 0.0 | 35 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Truly Taupe within Sherwin-Williams's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #AC9E97 in HSL space. Pair Truly Taupe with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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