Last Updated on February 3, 2026 by Vannessa Rhoades, Three Bears Home Staging
Warm paint colors have been making a comeback for a couple of years now, and one of Sherwin-Williams’ most popular paint colors is Natural Linen SW 9109. Natural Linen stands out as a more contemporary choice among beige paint colors. Unlike the deep tans and warm golden beiges of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Natural Linen is toned down with a bit of gray, giving it a more flexible, modern vibe. Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful beige to see if it might be a fit for your project.
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What Are the “Undertones” of SW Natural Linen?
What color is Natural Linen, really? Since everyone perceives color a bit differently, let’s take a look at something a little more objective – the numbers. If you look at SW Natural Linen’s spectral data, it has a hue angle of 86.540°. This means it’s officially part of the Yellow hue family.
If you take a close look at the color wheel, you’ll notice that Natural Linen is close to the border of the Yellow-Red (Orange) hue family. Depending on your lighting or exposure, it may look a bit peachy or even a wee bit pink or yellow. However, this tends to be fairly subdued and is largely dependent on your quality of light.
Chroma is a measure of how vivid or saturated a hue is. At 9.011, it has a lower chroma value than some other popular beiges (like Sherwin-Williams Kilim Beige or Benjamin-Moore Thousand Islands CC-308). That means it’s a calmer, less colorful beige with a lot more versatility for a wide range of finishes.
Tired of guessing how paint colors will really look? Or worrying about hidden undertones?
Color By The Numbers™ teaches you how to read hue, chroma, and LRV so you can choose paint colors with confidence, not trial and error.
What Is the LRV of Natural Linen?
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a measure of how much light a paint reflects back into a room, with 100% being highly reflective and zero being not reflective at all. Natural Linen has an LRV of 66, making it just right for many residential interiors. In intense sunlight, it may lose some vibrancy, but in softer light, it regains its full brilliance. Natural Linen is also an excellent paint color for darker spaces, providing some depth balanced with enough lightness to not feel heavy.
In north and east-facing light, Natural Linen’s warmth is present but toned down. In south or afternoon western sunlight, it takes on a slightly warmer tone without being overpowering. Remember, your quality of light changes throughout the day, so view a sample of this color on all walls and in a variety of artificial and natural light.
Our paint color palette guides break down popular neutral paint colors using measurable data, like undertones, LRV, and chroma, so you can compare colors accurately before you paint.
Which White Trim Color Goes with Natural Linen?
Because SW Natural Linen is a very warm, yet lower-chroma paint color, pairing it with a white trim color that’s too creamy or overly yellow can be tricky. You might not end up with enough contrast between the two colors, resulting in one looking yellow/gray/dingy when side-by-side with the other. Instead, we recommend pairing it with a clean, low-chroma white trim that has just a touch of warmth, like Sherwin-Williams Pure White 7005.
What Other Paint Colors Coordinate With Natural Linen?
Due to its subtle nature, Natural Linen complements a range of colors, particularly those in the coral, blue, and green palettes. It suits a variety of design styles, from coastal to farmhouse. Need some inspiration? Take a look at this sample warm paint color palette. If you’re deciding between Natural Linen and other popular beiges, our neutral paint color data guides make it easier to spot subtle differences that matter in real homes.
Is Natural Linen a Good Exterior Paint Color?
Natural Linen looks great with many types of tile and stone. It’s a popular exterior color here in Houston and throughout the southern United States. That said, it may be a bit too light in areas that see a lot of overcast days, like the Pacific Northwest. It can reflect a lot of light and can look much lighter in an outdoor environment than you may expect. Again, view paper samples on the exterior wall before painting. Comparing exterior-friendly neutrals using spectral data can help avoid surprises in full sun.
The siding on this home is SW Natural Linen 9109, and the trim is SW Pure White 7005.
What Other Paint Colors Are Similar to Natural Linen?
Again, I never recommend color matching between brands. You cannot color-match between brands and expect to get identical results. But if you’re looking for something similar in another brand, there are options:
Popular Paint Color Comparisons for Natural Linen SW
Wondering how Natural Linen SW9109 compares to a few other popular colors? Let’s take a look…
SW Natural Linen vs SW Accessible Beige
Accessible Beige SW7036 has a lower chroma and hue value than Natural Linen. This means it looks a little more greige and less creamy by comparison. If Natural Linen feels too warm or just too beige for your space, Accessible Beige might be a good option.
SW Natural Linen vs SW Natural Tan
Natural Tan SW7567 is quite similar to Natural Linen in terms of lightness and chroma. Natural Tan is just a teeny bit darker and more colorful. It’s also a few degrees cooler than Natural Linen in terms of its hue angle. That means you may see less of those peachy tones and find it a bit more versatile.
FAQs About Sherwin-Williams Natural Linen
Does Natural Linen look beige or greige?
Natural Linen reads as a warm beige rather than a true greige. Its gray influence softens the color, but its yellow-based hue keeps it firmly in the beige family.
Can Natural Linen look pink or peach?
Natural Linen can appear slightly peachy in certain lighting conditions. This usually happens in warm light or near pink-toned finishes that reflect onto the walls.
Is Natural Linen too warm for modern interiors?
Natural Linen can work in modern interiors when paired with clean whites and simple finishes. Its lower chroma keeps it from feeling dated or overly traditional.
Does Natural Linen work with gray floors?
Natural Linen can work with gray floors if the gray has some warmth. Cool, blue-gray floors may exaggerate beige or peach undertones. In most cases, there are other, better alternative colors.
Is Natural Linen lighter or darker than it looks online?
Natural Linen often looks lighter in bright spaces and darker in softer light. Its mid-high LRV means lighting plays a major role in how it reads.
Should I compare Natural Linen to other beiges before painting?
Yes, comparing Natural Linen to similar beiges is highly recommended. Small differences in undertone and chroma can dramatically affect how the color feels once painted.
Make Confident Beige Paint Decisions
Choosing a beige paint color is harder than it looks. Subtle shifts in undertone, chroma, and light reflectance can make similar colors look completely different once they’re on the wall.
If you’re comparing Natural Linen to other popular neutrals, having real data makes the decision clearer, especially in tricky lighting conditions. Our paint color data guides and educational resources are designed to help you evaluate colors before you commit, so you can move forward with confidence.
Vannessa Rhoades
Vannessa Rhoades is the author of Just Right! Easy DIY Home Staging and the founder of the award-winning firm, Three Bears Home Staging®. She specializes in providing positive, empowering virtual consultations that help homeowners and real estate agents all across the country sell more quickly and for more money.
