Thunderbird vs Virtual Taupe paint color comparison

Thunderbird vs Virtual Taupe

ThunderbirdPPGvsVirtual TaupeSherwin-WilliamsΔE 0.9Imperceptible difference

Where Thunderbird belongs to PPG's range, Virtual Taupe is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (21 vs 20), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. At ΔE 0.9, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Thunderbird vs Virtual Taupe in Real Spaces

1 real room side by side. Thunderbird and Virtual Taupe are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.

House

Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.

ThunderbirdThunderbird color — coastal house inspiration

@simplywalldecor

Virtual TaupeSherwin Williams SW 7039 exterior review

@macfarland_painting

Color Details

Thunderbird
PPG · PPG1021-5
LRV21.0
BrandPPG
NumberPPG1021-5
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
Virtual Taupe
Sherwin-Williams · 7039
LRV20.3
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7039
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Thunderbird vs Virtual Taupe Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Thunderbird on one side and Virtual Taupe 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.

More Thunderbird comparisons

See how Thunderbird stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Ammonite
Thunderbird
Ammonite
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

White Dove
Thunderbird
White Dove
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 83 vs 21, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Thunderbird
Iron Ore
Thunderbird
Iron Ore
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 6, Thunderbird is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Thunderbird
Purbeck Stone
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Thunderbird
Evergreen Fog
Thunderbird
Evergreen Fog
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Mizzle
Thunderbird
Mizzle
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 52 vs 21, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Thunderbird
Agreeable Gray
Thunderbird
Agreeable Gray
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Thunderbird
Accessible Beige
Thunderbird
Accessible Beige
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 58 vs 21, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Thunderbird
Denim Drift
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 6-point LRV gap (27 vs 21) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
Thunderbird
French Gray
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Thunderbird
Naval
Thunderbird
Naval
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Thunderbird reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Thunderbird
Tranquil Dawn
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 55 vs 21, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Thunderbird
Bancha
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 8-point LRV gap (21 vs 13) makes Thunderbird the marginally brighter of the two.

Hardwick White
Thunderbird
Hardwick White
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 44 vs 21, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Thunderbird
Pure White
Thunderbird
Pure White
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Thunderbird
Artichoke
Thunderbird
Artichoke
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

With LRVs of 21 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa Mist
Thunderbird
Balboa Mist
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 66 vs 21, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Thunderbird
Shoji White
Thunderbird
Shoji White
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 74 vs 21, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Thunderbird
Snowbound
Thunderbird
Snowbound
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 21, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Pigeon
Thunderbird
Pigeon
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Pigeon
LRV 51
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Thunderbird
Pewter Green
Thunderbird
Pewter Green
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Thunderbird the marginally brighter of the two.

Duck Green
Thunderbird
Duck Green
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 8, Thunderbird is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Thunderbird
Skimming Stone
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 68 vs 21, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Thunderbird
Dix Blue
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Hicks' Blue
Thunderbird
Hicks' Blue
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Hicks' Blue vs Thunderbird

Slaked Lime Deep
Thunderbird
Slaked Lime Deep
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Slaked Lime Deep vs Thunderbird

Vintage Vogue
Thunderbird
Vintage Vogue
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Thunderbird the marginally brighter of the two.

Livid
Thunderbird
Livid
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Livid vs Thunderbird

Saybrook Sage
Thunderbird
Saybrook Sage
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 45 vs 21, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Thunderbird
Pale Green
Thunderbird
Pale Green
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.