A La Mode vs Buff
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Both sit in the beige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. A La Mode (LRV 85) reflects noticeably more light than Buff (LRV 75), a difference of 10 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 9.9 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
A La Mode vs Buff in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. A La Mode and Buff 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.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that A La Mode will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Buff would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. A La Mode reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Buff.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. A La Mode reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Buff.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. A La Mode returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. A La Mode reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Buff.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. A La Mode reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Buff.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. A La Mode returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. A La Mode returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. A La Mode reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Buff.
Color Details
A La Mode vs Buff Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see A La Mode on one side and Buff on the other.
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 A La Mode comparisons
See how A La Mode stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
With LRVs of 85 and 83, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 85 vs 52, A La Mode is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 30, A La Mode is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 60, A La Mode is decisively the brighter choice.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 85 vs 43, A La Mode is decisively the brighter choice.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 85 vs 84), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
A La Mode reads slightly lighter (LRV 85 vs 74), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
A La Mode reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 85 vs 31, A La Mode is decisively the brighter choice.