Posted on December 5, 2021 by KylieMawdsley
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen – my new FAVE beige paint color
Beige is DEFINITELY coming back in style. And while we’re not knee-deep in it quite yet, within a few years, beige will certainly be THE go-to neutral paint color. This is why today, we’re going to check out Sherwin Williams Natural Linen, a beige that’s BOUND to be near the top of the list!
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In order to show you RELATEABLE & REAL homes, I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality photos I need or the RIGHT photos, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!
What type of paint color is Natural Linen?
Natural Linen is DEFINITELY a beige paint color. However, you’ll find that it’s not GOLDEN warm like many of the beiges from the early 2000s Tuscan trend and not as TAN as the warm neutrals from the 90s. Natural Linen is in FACT, one of the more modern beige paint colors on the market.
If you have north-facing light, Natural Linen’s warmth will still show up to the party but will be MUTED (same with eastern light). However, if you have south-facing or warm afternoon western sunshine, you can expect Natural Linen to look that BIT warmer without being overwhelming.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
What’s the LRV of Natural Linen?
Natural Linen has an LRV of 66, making it a pretty well-balanced LIGHT depth paint color. While it will still wash out a bit in bright light, once the slight is a bit more subdued it will come back to its full glory. It’s also a great depth for a darker space as it’s still light enough to not weigh it down.
This is really as MUTED as you can expect Natural Linen to look
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
How to Make a Dark Room Look Brighter – and it ain’t with paint!
The Best LIGHT Paint Colors for a DARK room
What are the undertones of Natural Linen?
Being a BEIGE paint color, Natural Linen’s main undertone is orange. And while orange can flex into yellow or pink, Natural Linen doesn’t STRONGLY cater to either, making it super flexible for a wide range of interior finishes.
What’s the best way to sample Natural Linen?
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY, depending on location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
What’s the best white trim color with Natural Linen walls?
Because Natural Linen has an orange undertone, it’s a BIT fussy towards whites with too much yellow in them. So while Sherwin Williams Alabaster is oooookay, I’m more inclined towards Benjamin Moore White Dove or even Chantilly Lace. Actually, Sherwin Williams White Snow could be interesting as well.
Actually, I might even be inclined to LIGHTEN Natural Linen by 75% and see what that looks like. It’s hit and miss (usually hit, but you never know), and can be a great way to get a coordinating soft white.
The ULTIMATE GUIDE to White Paint Colors
3 Steps to Picking the Best White Paint Color
Is Natural Linen a good exterior color?
Natural Linen can work on an exterior but is often a bit light for homes in the northern states and Canada. Where you see MORE Natural Linen is in the southern states as a beige like this often suits the types of tiles/stone used on driveways and patios.
5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
Does Your Exposure REALLY MATTER When Choosing EXTERIOR Paint Colors?
What paint colors are similar to Natural Linen for comparison’s sake?
Every paint color has its own personality and nuances – there will be NO perfect match. You can fully expect to see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths, but you could check out…
- Sherwin Williams Rivers Edge / China Doll
- Sherwin Williams Moderate White
- Benjamin Moore Muslin
- Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands (ie: getting Benjamin Moore to make a Sherwin Williams paint color), you might want to read THIS first.
READ MORE
The 8 Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colors
How to Create a TIMELESS Home – 4 PART SERIES
Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Cedar Key
The 5 Best Off-White Paint Colors
Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
Chat soon,
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Hi, two questions. One, would Natural Linen work with the beigy pink tiles of 2004? Second, would Pure white work as trim?
Do you think Natural Linen has enough weight to be contrasted with White dove built-in bathroom cabinets and other white decor to do a “beige and white” style approach? It’s not too pale?
Author
It’s touch and go. Maybe ask them to darken Natural LInen by 25%, just to give it a bit more oomph 🙂
Would BM Elmira White be a good comparison to SW Natural Linen? They look very similar to me.
Hi Kylie, I too would like to know if SW or BM -Natural Linen work with a pink beige tile. Please reply. Thank you
Author
Of the two, I would definitely cater to the SW version 🙂
Hi Kylie,
What are your thoughts on SW Pure White as a trim color for SW Natural Linen.
Thank you!
Why is it that I see “green” in the linen color?
We just painted the entire house in SW linen and with white trim and ceilings and I feel like I see green!
Ughhhhhh
Author
Have you checked your bulbs? It can be hard to find the info, but some bulbs have a low CRI. Bulbs with a CRI lower than 90 can cast green onto the walls. Another reason could be some green reflecting from the outside of your home – perhaps a bank of trees/landscaping? LASTLY, have you checked it with the original color swatch to ensure it matched perfectly? If it wasn’t done at SW it won’t be perfect, which could account for this, but even the brands themselves get it wrong sometimes!
What is the color that was on your walls before ? mine was light blue and I think I see green too but I’m not too sure, I’ve only applied one coat so far and will do a second coat.
Do you think Natural Linen would look good again Natural Cedar walls?
Author
YUP!
Hi Kim, these blogs are so informative, so thank you for your hard work! We’re looking at painting our living room walls with SW Downy and Natural Linen on the trim. Do you see any issues with this? The space has wood beams, rich-colored wood floors, & a brick fireplace/hearth with a woodburning heater. All this to say, it will be farmhouse-y.
Hi Kylie, so, I have bisque kitchen cabinets and travertine backsplash. I originally painted the walls accessible beige, but not happy with it. I’m leaning towards natural linen. Countertops have beige and grey coloring. I have popular grey through the house. What color would you recommend for the kitchen island? I have alabaster white on my trim, crown mounding and doors. Thank you!
Author
Hey Kimberly! It TOTALLY depends on the exact countertop. Some prefer darker colors with blue undertones, some want green, and others want violet or even just BLACK!
Kylie, I have a North-East room with 2 large windows (north) and full glass patio door (east); thinking of Natural Linen or Divine white. Want a cozy TV room and willing to go any color, even dark.. would love your thoughts. Appreicate you.
Author
Hey Michelle! Of the two, I would lean into Natural Linen over Divine White. And I bet there’s some DARK coloirs that could look fab, but it tooootally depends on the finishes in the room, including the furniture and any hard finishes. Maybe this blog post will help? https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/7-fabulous-dark-colours-for-a-dark-room-or-basement-sherwin-and-benjamin/
I like natural linen but just a little too light for me during the day, how much would suggest darkening it? Malabar is the next darker color but that’s too dark for me. Thanks!
Author
Hey Nicole! Ask the paint store to make you two samples pots: 1 at 25% darker and 1 at 50% darker. Neither are as drastic as they sound, but they will get you that bit darker without hitting Malabar :).
Hi Kylie, my family room is currently painted in “Natural linen” color, it’s a north- and east- facing room, and it looks great. Now, the wall on the east side of the room has open stairs that go down the basement (that wall gets lots of light). However, the rest of the basement needs a lighter color — it is quite dark. Do you think I could paint the other walls something like BM White Dove? Or would you have other suggestions for an off-white that will look good in a dark basement, and won’t look too different from Natural linen? Thank you.
Author
Oooo, maybe you might try Natural Linen 50% lighter or something like Moderate White?
Ah, that’s a great idea! Thank you!!
It turns out my room was painted Natural linen Benjamin Moore, not SW! I have tried lightening by 50%, but it’s still too dark. Do you have any suggestions for a colour with the same undertones as natural linen BM, but significantly lighter? Thank you so much.
Would Greek Villa trim work with Natural Linen on the walls? My painter refuses to use Benjamin Moore paint so White Dove is out. I’m not a fan of Alabaster in my north facing room. Otherwise, would one of SW Emerald Designer Whites work? I’m losing sleep over this. 🙁
Kylie, I went and checked out Cheviot and it’s gorgeous, but I don’t think I can swing it my budget. I think Alabaster is too creamy with my honey oak cabinets and Baltic brown granite countertops with a dark coordinating backsplash. I think pure white would be too white for my brown kitchen. Since I cannot do a Benjamin Moore paint, what are your thoughts about Westhighland White?
I put samples of both on my wall and the samples a de by side look great together. Nervous about pairing them after doing some research. Did you end up using them together? All of my trim is Greek Villa.
What would be a good green color for some cabinets with the walls natural linen? I was thinking SW retreat maybe?
Hello! If I wanted something a little lighter than SW Natural Linen, would I just ask them to make it 25% lighter? Or is there a SW color that basically accomplishes the same thing? I’m using Antler Velvet in my kitchen and have Malabar in the primary bath and Natural Linen in two half-baths already. I wish there was one shade lighter on the paint strip so I’d know what to choose! This would be for the main color in my house – foyer, long hall, living/dining great room, plus a large wall on a stairway to the basement. We have 9′ ceilings and S/S-E exposure, so it’s a nice light space. The color I originally chose – BM Lighthouse Landing – is much darker and more yellow than I’d hoped. Oops. 🙁 Thank you!
Author
Have you checked out the likes of SW Divine White, BM Maritime White and SW Moderate White? They might be up your alley!