Read all about Sherwin Williams Natural Linen, plus see 17 real homes that use it!
Have you noticed how trends (in anything) seem to fluctuate from one end of the spectrum to the other? And then, they often eventually circle back.
If you follow fashion, it definitely happens there, but it also occurs in the interior design world too. Paint colors are a prime example of this phenomenon. Let’s take beige, for example.
Remember that builder’s beige of the late 1990s and early 2000s? It was everywhere, spreading its yellow-saturated pigment in way too many homes.
Then the trend swung over to gray and has since moved into a middle area with greige (a blend of gray and beige). Now, beige is making a comeback, baby! But it’s not that cringe-worthy builder’s beige.
Nope – the trend is favoring softer muted beiges, and I, for one, am loving it.
Let’s take a look at one example of what I’m talking about with today’s in-depth color study.
Natural Linen by Sherwin Williams (#9109) is a warm beige that has been on the market for a little while and is part of the Sherwin Williams Warm Neutrals and 2022 Dreamland collections.
It’s a lovely muted beige that might be the perfect choice for anyone looking for the warmth of beige but is worried about going “too yellow.”
If you’re looking for a soft beige that is bright and airy while still adding a warm and cozy vibe to a room, you’re in luck. Natural Linen may be just the shade you’re craving!
I’m going to share everything you need to know about this color, from the technical to the subjective, so that you will be able to determine whether Natural Linen is a good fit for your home. Let’s dive in!
FAQs about Natural Linen
Natural Linen is a creamy soft beige that will simply appear cozy most of the time. It has just enough yellow in it to give it that warm creaminess and just enough pink to give it some depth. 
Is Sherwin Williams Natural Linen warm or cool?
Thanks to some yellow and pink undertones, Natural Linen leans warm. It also has a little gray in it which gives it a soft vibe but doesn’t cool it down.
Where should I use SW Natural Linen?
You can confidently use this up-and-coming shade in nearly any room of your home! It will look lovely in various lighting situations and won’t be too dark in a room with low light.
Try it in the:
• Hallway
• Bedroom
• Kitchen
• Living room
• Bathroom
• Basement
• Laundry room
• Hallway
Natural Linen is a…natural fit for any home and decor style as well!
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen Undertones
Often, homeowners consider undertones to be a major nuisance that they’re forced to deal with (or live with). However, undertones come directly from the color-mixing process for paint, so there’s no way to avoid them. I recommend learning about them and working WITH them – undertones are really less problematic if you approach them that way.
Then the process of picking a new color will suddenly be much more simple, and you’ll be thrilled with your results – the first time!
Let’s take a look at SW Natural Linen’s undertones. This shade lives in the beige color family, and it has yellow and pink undertones.
Now here’s the thing. When you combine yellow and pink, what do you get? Orange! Some people will look at Natural Linen and see orange undertones, which makes perfect sense because, in certain exposures, yellow and pink will blend enough to appear orange.
BUT, Natural Linen also has some gray in it to give it a soft, muted quality. It won’t ever look gray, but passive lighting can cool down the warmth this shade exudes.
Overall, this shade isn’t as yellow as Linen White or as brown as Accessible Beige. Instead, it falls in that ideal space that’s warm and cozy but still reads light beige.
NOTE: Remember paint colors will never look the same in different locations and exposures, which means that most colors shift their appearance a little throughout the day as lighting from the sun changes.
Grab paint samples to help you determine how your lighting and decor will impact the appearance of any color you like before you cover your walls in it (and later hate it).
How Different Types of Lighting Affect SW Natural Linen
Different lighting situations influence the appearance of undertones. Here’s a basic idea of how you can expect Natural Linen to read based on natural lighting.
- North-facing light – cool northern light will balance out the warmth in Natural Linen so that it reads a little pastey. This color is excellent for warming up a cool room because instead of reading cool, it will give off a soft pastel vibe.
- South-facing light – southern light is warm and yellow which will help draw out Natural Linen’s warm side. You’re likely to notice the yellow undertones more in this exposure.
- East-facing light – east-facing rooms have warm yellow light in the morning and passive, shadowy light in the afternoon. Natural Linen read warm and beige in the morning before displaying its passive pastel side in the afternoon.
- West-facing light – western-lit rooms have the opposite lighting situation of rooms with eastern light. Natural Linen will appear more neutral in the morning and read very warm later in the day without looking “overheated.” You’ll likely notice more of the pink undertones, which may come through with the yellow and appear orange.
If undertones make your head hurt, you’re not alone! Grab your free copy of 5 Biggest Paint Choice Mistakes Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Great Coordinating Colors for Natural Linen
Because Natural Linen is a bit muted, it can pair well with a variety of colors, especially in the coral, blue, and green color families.
When you’re looking for trim colors, I would recommend going with High Reflective White or Pure White.
Here are some colors that work very well with Sherwin Williams Natural Linen SW 9109:
- Greek Villa
- Coastal Plain
- Pearly White
- Privilege Green
- Sea Salt
- Rock Garden
- Honed Soapstone
- Peppercorn
- Barcelona Beige
- Frost Bite
- Rainwashed
- Sea Spray
- Rojo Dust
- Taupe Tone
- Kaffee
- Dover White
- Truly Taupe
- Modern White
- Dried Basil
- Indigo Batik
- Gris Morando
- Antler Velvet
LRV of Sherwin Williams Natural Linen (SW 9109)
If you haven’t heard of LVR before, it stands for Light Reflective Value. Or put another way, this is a fancy-schmancy scale that designers use to help determine how light or dark a shade will appear, based on how much light it reflects rather than absorbs. On a scale of 0 to 100, think of 0 as pitch black and 100 as a blinding white.
The LRV of SW Natural Linen = 66
That value puts Natural Linen smack dab in the middle of the light range. It will wash out in bright exposures, and at the same time, it won’t be too dark for a poor-lit room.
LRV…what? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Natural Linen Compared to Other Neutral Paint Colors
When you’re deciding between paint colors, comparisons are an important tool because they show the undertones and depth of colors much more clearly than just comparing them to white.
Here’s how Natural Linen compares with some of its most popular color competitors.
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen vs. Accessible Beige SW 7036
Accessible Beige is a super popular shade that comes in a little darker with an LRV of 58. It’s more of a mid-toned greige that is less creamy and has brown undertones. I find Natural Linen to be a little more versatile, but Accessible Beige is terrific and might be a better choice in brighter rooms.
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen vs. Wool Skein
Wool Skein has an LRV of 63, so it’s just a bit darker than Natural Linen. Both of these beiges have warm undertones, but Wool Skein is a little deeper with more brown so that it will read more tan than beige in certain exposures.
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen vs. Natural Tan
Sherwin Williams Natural Tan has an LRV of 65.23, making it only a teensy bit darker than Natural Linen. Another warm beige, Natural Tan is more versatile than Natural Linen because it lacks pink undertones.
More Colors to Consider
Natural Linen is a great color and all, but what if you’re just not sure it’s the one? We got you! Check out some of these other similar shades in our paint exploration series!
- White Duck (Sherwin Williams) – a creamy off-white that leans greige
- Alpaca (Sherwin Williams) – a mid-toned warm, taupe-leaning greige
- Creamy (Sherwin Williams) – a very warm, creamy off-white
- Paper White (Benjamin Moore) – a cool-leaning off-white with slight green undertones
- City Loft (Sherwin Williams) – a creamy off-white with light gray undertones
- White Dove (Benjamin Moore) – a light white with creamy undertones
- Calm (Benjamin Moore) – a soft and airy off-white
- Eider White (Sherwin Williams) – a warm off-white with greige undertones
- Agreeable Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a popular, warm greige tint
- Ballet White (Benjamin Moore) – a light, neutral off-white paint color
- Oyster White (Sherwin Williams) – a pretty light greige paint
Feeling lost? I gotcha, boo! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
15 Real Life Homes Using Sherwin Williams Natural Linen
Ok, so we’ve studied the color enough. The techy stuff is done, and it’s time to get into the fun part: seeing what this shade looks like in real homes! Here are different examples of rooms that use Natural Linen, and I’ve got a variety of room types, lighting exposures, and decor to give you a good starting point.
NOTE: These images are not a substitute for color swatches on your walls, but they should at least give you a close idea about whether you even want to buy a paint sample of SW Natural Linen. 😉
As far as sampling goes, I highly recommend these mess-free, re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick paint samples ⤵
SW Natural Linen Living Rooms
Sheen note: Picking the right color is only winning the battle, not the war. Remember to pick the right paint finish, or sheen, also! Read up on what you need to know about picking the perfect paint sheen.
1. Traditional Interior Paint Color
Houzz gives us a stunner of a living room. Natural Linen has enough saturation to take this entire room that is quite large, and make it feel comfortable and inviting. Do you see the hint of pink in the corner?
2. Farmhouse Feels
Ooooo, look at this living room from @athomewithshannon. I love how this one room shows such contrast in how Sherwin Williams Natural Linen appears.
The first image with warm light shows more depth thanks to those undertones. The second image shows a darker area of the room and how Natural Linen appears as a nice neutral muted beige.
3. Perfect Casual Neutral
What does cool natural light + warm artificial light give you? As CertaPro shows us, Natural Linen delivers a creamy and pastel beige.
Bedrooms with Natural Linen Paint
In general for bedrooms, and low-traffic areas, flat paint is fine. If you like something with a bit of shine (and more ease of cleaning) opt for eggshell or satin.
4. Great Pairing for Accent Walls
If you absolutely hate pink undertones, then Natural Linen isn’t the color for you. However, I love the cozy vibe the subtle undertones deliver in this room from Highland Homes.
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen Kitchens
For kitchens, eggshell or satin are popular finish choices for walls. For cabinets consider semi-gloss or high gloss for the most durable finish (and a gorgeous glow).
5. A Creamy Off-White
The Cashmere Gypsy hit a home run with this kitchen! All the colors and accents come together in a neutral way but give you exactly what you want in a kitchen: a warm, inviting space where you want to spend time.
6. Definite Beige in Low Light
Decor Designs Inc shows us how Natural Linen appears in a room with little or no natural light. See how much darker it appears than it did in previous examples? It’s not so saturated that it makes this kitchen feel too dark, though.
Dining Rooms Painted Natural Linen by SW
7. Slightly Golden in Natural Light
Hello, yellow undertones? I’m taking a page out of Burgau Home‘s notebook because I’ve always craved having more yellow in my house but could never find a way to avoid going either canary or mustard.
This room gives you that sunny, cheery vibe without being too yellow.
8. Sophisticated Modern Beige
Effortlessly chic – that’s what Innovatus Design delivers in this dining room! Welcome to the new generation of beige. Ready to take the plunge? I am.
Natural Linen Laundry Rooms
9. Warm Laundry Space
Houzz gives us a wonderfully soft, modern, and creamy laundry room. Natural Linen is everything you want in a beige paint – and nothing you don’t.
10. Slight Pink Undertones
I love this laundry room from Highland Homes. Natural Linen is wonderfully soft and neutral.
If you look closely, you can see the slight pink undertones, but they simply soften the hue…and perfectly complement that countertop!
Entryways & Hallways Featuring SW Natural Linen
11. A Perfect Beige
Here’s the mudroom of dreams! @sowwellfarms shows off a timeless mudroom that manages to highlight both the wall paint and those stunning floors.
My favorite part: the irresistibly cute dog on the floor!
12. Not Too Warm, Not Too Cool
Give me a dark area to paint, and I’ll strongly consider using Natural Linen.
This entryway from Refined Painting has low light, but this shade warms it up and makes it feel inviting.
13. An Inviting Home
Natural Linen works with any house and decor style, which The Cashmere Gypsy shows with this formal entryway. Beautiful!
14. Complements Antique Decor
I want to see more of this area from @thisoldhillhouse! Oh my goodness – look at that telephone! Natural Linen was the perfect choice to bridge the old and new decor elements in this small space.
15. Great Exterior Neutral Paint
I wouldn’t often choose this shade as exterior paint because it can easily lose the qualities that make it special. It shines on this home from @benorfarm, though!
And that’s it! I hope this post gave you everything you need to know about the versatile Sherwin Williams Natural Linen. If you’re looking for a beautiful beige, this is one color you will want to check out!
Seriously considering this shade? Make sure to sample first! I highly recommend these re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick samples👇
Pin this paint color for later! And if you use this paint shade, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others decide if they want to try this color, too!
Ready to show those boring, beige walls who’s the boss at home? Grab my free guide to help you sidestep the mistakes that almost everyone makes when it comes to picking paint! You’ll be on your way to perfect paint promptly…pinky swear.
Eliza says
DO you think that Benjamin Moore White Dove is a good trim color to pair with SW Natural Linen? Do you think that Natural Linen is a good wall color for a bathroom with cherry toned wood cabinet? Thanks!