Looking for the perfect beige/tan paint color for your home? Let's compare Natural Tan vs Accessible Beige to see if one might be perfect for your space!
Beiges and tans are great choices for paint colors, especially if you want a cozy, neutral vibe with a hint of color. Forget any old stigma—warm tones are making a big comeback!
These shades might seem similar, but they each have their own charm. They add more warmth to a room than plain white or off-white, while still keeping things neutral and inviting.
Today, we're comparing two top picks for beige/tan colors: Natural Tan and Accessible Beige.
Let's talk about the difference between these two popular shades.
Read my full review of Natural Tan
Read my full review of Accessible Beige
Natural Tan vs Accessible Beige
Natural Tan and Accessible Beige are similar neutral paint colors. The difference between them highlights one of the age-old paint questions: tan or beige?
What is similar about Natural Tan vs Accessible Beige?
Both Natural Tan and Accessible Beige are mid-toned neutral tan/beige paint colors.
They work well with various decor styles and are ideal choices for a whole home paint color.
What is different about Natural Tan vs Accessible Beige?
The biggest difference lies in their color families: Natural Tan is considered a tan and in the yellow color family, while Accessible Beige is considered a beige and in the greige (gray-beige) color family.
Beige vs tan is a common question when picking neutral paint colors. In general, beige is a light or pale grayish-brown color. Tan is a pale brown color without gray undertones. Typically, tan appears more yellow-orange compared to beige.
In terms of Light Reflectance Value (LRV), Natural Tan is darker, with an LRV of 65, compared to Accessible Beige's 58.
Overall, Accessible Beige leans towards a muddier greige tone, while Natural Tan offers a slightly warmer hue.
| Natural Tan | Accessible Beige | |
| LRV | 65 | 58 |
| RBG | R: 220 G: 210 B: 195 | R:209 G:199 B:184 |
| Undertones | tan color with a slight green-gray undertone | warm tan-beige color with significant gray undertones |
Light Reflectance Value
Light Reflective Value is the measurement of how much light a color bounces around. This is on a scale of 0 to 100 with 0 being pure black and 100 being pure white.
Natural Tan and Accessible Beige are both mid-toned beige/tan colors, but they are not equal in color depth.
With an LRV of 65, Natural Tan is darker than Accessible Beige, which has an LRV of 58.
Undertones
Natural Tan boasts subtle green-gray undertones, giving it a slightly warmer feel compared to Accessible Beige.
Accessible Beige, on the other hand, features significant gray undertones, leaning more towards greige than Natural Tan.
In south-facing rooms with lots of natural light, Natural Tan and Accessible Beige will both look lighter, warmer, and more beige. Natural Tan may even look slightly yellow.
Conversely, in north-facing rooms with limited natural light, both shades will appear darker and cooler. They may both show a touch more gray, especially Accessible Beige.
It's very important to swatch colors on your wall to make sure they look good – day and night – in your actual space before committing.
Click here to get removable peel & stick paint samples to easily swatch with!
How do I decide between these two colors?
Natural Tan and Accessible Beige are similar colors.
Opt for Accessible Beige if you prefer a more greige tone or something cooler. For a warmer hue, choose Natural Tan.
If you adore both but desire a lighter option, Natural Tan is your pick. On the contrary, if you prefer a slightly darker shade, go for Accessible Beige.
Sherwin Williams Natural Tan color palette
Want to use this paint color in your home? Instantly upgrade your home's aesthetic with our exclusive paint color palette. Unlock the perfect trim color and six stunning accent colors, a combination of neutrals and bold hues for an instantly harmonious space!
Get your perfect paint color palette by clicking here!
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige color palette
Want to use this paint color in your home? Instantly upgrade your home’s aesthetic with our exclusive paint color palette. Unlock the perfect trim color and six stunning accent colors, a combination of neutrals and bold hues for an instantly harmonious space!
Click here to get the Accessible Beige pre-made paint color palette.
Still unsure which paint color is right for your space?
Choosing paint doesn’t have to be stressful! My free Paint Color Planning Quick Start Guide walks you through the exact steps to confidently choose the perfect color — without the overwhelm, second-guessing, or endless swatch testing.
👉 Click here to download the free guide!
My Paint Color Formula course walks you through the painless process of expertly testing paint swatches to ensure you have the perfect color for your home.
The best way to sample paint? Samplize!
Get peel-and-stick removable and reusable paint samples here!
Thanks for reading!
Meg Hemmelgarn is a freelance writer and home decor + DIY blogger who loves to talk about paint colors. She and her husband are currently renovating their third fixer upper. You can see their projects on her blog, Green With Decor.
