Learn all about Sherwin-Williams Muslin in this paint color review.
Sherwin-Williams Muslin is a warm, light beige paint color perfect for many interior paint projects.
Not to be confused with Benjamin Moore Muslin, which is much cooler and more muted, SW Muslin looks almost yellow in rooms with lots of sunlight.
Keep reading to learn more about Sherwin-Williams Muslin paint and get inspiration from a real client’s home.
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What Color Is Sherwin-Williams Muslin?
Sherwin-Williams Muslin (Sample) is a light beige paint color (Article). It’s darker and warmer than an off-white or cream color, but still lighter than a lot of the most popular beige hues on the market. It’s a really unique color!
What is the SW Muslin LRV?
Muslin has an LRV of 74. LRV is short for Light Reflectance Value, which measures how light (LRV=100) or dark (LRV=0) a color is. With an LRV of 74, Muslin is still a light hue but has enough pigment that it can work in both in well-lit and low-lit rooms.
Is SW Muslin warm or cool?
Sherwin-Williams Muslin is a very warm paint color. Even in cool or low light the paint color looks warm. In rooms with lots of natural light, the color is so warm it looks like a pale yellow.
What are the Sherwin-Williams Muslin undertones?
The Sherwin-Williams website says that this color has green undertones, but I don’t agree. I think SW Muslin has strong yellow undertones, which are especially clear in rooms with lots of sunlight
Does Sherwin-Williams Muslin look yellow?
It can look like a soft, light yellow in rooms with warm, bright sunlight. Muslin is a great option if you want a yellow hue that won’t look too bright on the wall.
In the dining room below, for example, Sherwin-Williams Muslin walls look softly yellow, especially compared to the same color on the walls of the low-lit living room.
If you’re trying to avoid your walls looking yellow, SW Muslin may not be the best option, especially if your room has a lot of warm light.
Sample SW Muslin
We always recommend that you test paint colors on your home because lighting can change a color completely, both with interiors as well as exteriors.
In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess.
Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples!
- Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
- Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
- Delivered overnight
- Colors are accurate
- Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
- No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of
I use these in my color consulting practice for exact results. Discover Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples:
Using Sherwin-Williams Muslin Interior Paint
Sherwin-Williams Muslin interior paint is a beautiful, warm paint color perfect for many interior paint (Article) projects. It’s not a color that we use very often, because it’s very particular. But for the home we’re showcasing in today’s post, it was the perfect hue.
This home was being painted for sale (Article), so we wanted to save the homeowners money by choosing a color that worked throughout the entire home. SW Muslin shifts a lot in different lighting, helping it coordinate with a variety of hard finishes and other colors.
It also worked well with the very warm and creamy trim and patterned wallpaper (Article) that was already in place in this home, as pictured below.
Can I use SW Muslin as an interior trim color?
No, I would not recommend SW Muslin trim. It’s too dark and too yellow to use as interior trim (Article). It is, however, a good option for a wall color if you have warm, creamy trim already in your home.
Should I try SW Muslin cabinets?
Muslin cabinets are beautiful! If you like the idea of a yellow kitchen but want something a bit softer and more timeless, SW Muslin would be gorgeous! In the photo below, a laundry room features Muslin cabinets in with Muslin on the walls for a drenched look.
Is Muslin a good paint color for rooms with low light?
Yes, it is! Because Muslin is very warm and has strong yellow undertones, it can still shine even in dimly lit rooms. It does look much more muted in rooms with low light. In the living room below, for example, SW Muslin walls look more like a warm, muted, darker beige than a light creamy color.
Is a SW Muslin dining room a good idea?
Absolutely! A Sherwin-Williams Muslin dining room is a beautiful, timeless look. The dining room in our client’s home was flooded with natural light, and I love the way Muslin looks on the walls.
Is Sherwin-Williams Muslin a good whole-house paint color?
It’s not a color we use very often because of its strong yellow undertones, but it was the perfect choice for this client’s house. We chose SW Muslin primarily because it worked so well with the home’s existing trim, which was surprisingly warm and creamy, with strong yellow undertones.
In the living room, for example, this trim paint was used on the built-in shelves. Muslin walls look lovely paired with the creamy shelf paint.
In this home, we needed to save money because the homeowners were preparing to sell, so they didn’t want to paint the trim. Keeping existing trim and ceiling paint is a common concern (especially since painting trim is often even more expensive than painting walls).
Sherwin-Williams Muslin is a great color for this situation because it’s warm enough and has enough pigment to work with warmer, darker trim colors. But it can also work with more traditional clean white trim colors, too. It looks beautiful in this open-concept living room and kitchen space!
Best Sherwin-Williams Muslin Coordinating Colors
Sherwin-Williams Muslin can be a tricky color to work with, since it does have such strong yellow undertones. But it’s also surprisingly versatile!
Does SW Muslin go with white?
Yes, Muslin looks great alongside a variety of white and off-white paint colors (Article).
It’s dark enough to work with our clients’ creamy trim and neutral enough to look beautiful alongside the white furniture and decor used throughout the home.
Does SW Muslin go with blue?
A warm, creamy beige hue may not seem like a natural fit to go with blue, but it really can work! Blue and yellow complement each other and can help balance each other out. In our client’s kitchen below, you can see how lovely the warm Muslin walls look alongside the room’s blue-gray tile.
Does SW Muslin go with wood tones?
Sherwin-Williams Muslin looks incredible alongside natural wood. In the image from our client’s home below, you can see how well Muslin complements the wood floors and wood cabinets in the space.
What are the Best Trim and Ceiling Colors For SW Muslin?
Sherwin-Williams Muslin works best with warm, off-white trim and ceiling colors whenever possible. My top picks would be Sherwin-Williams Alabaster or Benjamin Moore White Dove (Articles). I would not go darker than SW Greek Villa or BM Swiss Coffee (Articles). You can also pair it with a clean white like BM Chantilly Lace (Article) if your finishes are crisp and clean.
While it wouldn’t be my first choice, SW Muslin can also work with Sherwin-Williams Extra White trim, which has cool blue undertones. This is convenient because Extra White is the most popular trim color used by builders and painters in the U.S. today.
Best Sherwin-Williams Muslin Alternatives
Not sure if Sherwin-Williams Muslin is right for your next interior project? Explore how it compares to these similar paint colors.
Sherwin-Williams Muslin vs Sherwin-Williams Natural Linen
Sherwin-Williams Natural Linen (Article) is another warm beige paint color, but it looks very different in place compared to SW Muslin. Natural Linen is much darker, with an LRV of 66, and warm peach undertones.
Sherwin-Williams Muslin vs Sherwin-Williams Antique White
Sherwin-Williams Antique White (Sample) is a very close match to SW Muslin. It is slightly darker, with an LRV of 72, and it has similar yellow undertones.
Sherwin-Williams Muslin vs Benjamin Moore Muslin
Benjamin Moore Muslin (Sample) sounds like it should be the same kind of color as Sherwin-Williams Muslin, but they’re actually quite different. BM Muslin is darker, with an LRV of 66.54, and also looks cooler than SW Muslin, with pink undertones.
Sherwin-Williams Muslin vs Benjamin Moore Maritime White
Benjamin Moore Maritime White (Article) is a darker and more muted paint color than SW Muslin. It has a similar LRV, at 71.6, but has pinkish apricot undertones that make the color a bit more muted and cooler than SW Muslin.
Sherwin-Williams Muslin vs Benjamin Moore French White
Benjamin Moore French White (Sample) is a very close match to Sherwin-Williams Muslin, with an LRV of 72.65. It has yellow undertones that lean toward orange and looks a bit warmer in place than Muslin.
What is the Best Benjamin Moore Version of SW Muslin?
While you might think Benjamin Moore Muslin would be the closest match to Sherwin-Williams Muslin, it’s not. The closest match is actually Benjamin Moore French White. It has very similar undertones and a similar LRV.
Key Learning Points
Sherwin-Williams Muslin is a light, warm beige paint color with strong yellow undertones. In warm light, it looks almost yellow on the wall.
- Sherwin-Williams Muslin is a very versatile paint color that shifts significantly depending on the lighting in a space. In rooms with low light it looks more like a warm, muted greige.
- SW Muslin pairs well with a variety of white paint colors and finishes, including warm, creamy whites and cleaner white hues.
- You can use Sherwin-Williams Muslin as a whole-house paint color or for an open concept space.
Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens. Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results from paint matching here.
No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice. Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors here.
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Related Posts
- Sherwin-Williams Natural Linen Color Review
- Benjamin Moore Maritime White Color Review
- Best Warm Beige Paint Colors
About the Author
Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room.
Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person. I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, please consider purchasing a color consultation. Thank you for your understanding.
