Upward

What Upward Actually Looks Like

Upward is a gentle blue with just enough gray to keep it grounded. It reads as a soft sky color, the kind you see late on a clear afternoon rather than midday bright. In most rooms it feels calm and quiet, never loud, never icy.

The lighting will change it on you. In bright, south-facing rooms, Upward leans more clearly blue and feels fresh. Move it into a north-facing space or a room that gets mostly indirect light, and the gray steps forward. You will notice it can flatten slightly toward dusk, picking up a softer, cloudier quality. Under warm bulbs it relaxes; under cool LEDs it sharpens.

What makes it distinctive is the balance. Plenty of blues commit hard to either cheerful or moody. Upward sits in the middle. It has personality without demanding attention, which is exactly why it lands on so many bedroom and bathroom walls.

Upward Undertones

The dominant undertone is blue, but a subtle green-gray runs underneath it. This matters because that hidden green can clash with cool, purple-leaning grays sitting next to it. If your floors or fixtures carry strong warm tones, the contrast will be obvious, so test before you commit.

Undertones decide your whole palette. Pick a bright white trim and the blue pops. Pick a creamy trim and the green-gray warms up. Hold a sample against your existing furniture and flooring for a full day before you trust it.

Where Upward Works Best

This color earns its keep in bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices, spaces where you want a sense of ease. South and east-facing rooms show it at its best, letting the blue stay clean and open. North-facing rooms work too, but expect a moodier, grayer result, which some people actually prefer.

Small spaces benefit from how light it is. Upward keeps a powder room or compact bedroom feeling airy instead of closed in. In large, open rooms it can read as nearly neutral, almost like a soft gray with a hint of color, which is a useful trick if you want quiet walls that do not dominate.

What to Pair With Upward

For trim, a crisp white like Sherwin-Williams Pure White or Extra White keeps things clean and lets the blue stay defined. If you want a softer, less contrasty look, try a warmer off-white so the wall feels gentler. Natural oak and lighter wood floors complement it nicely, and warm brass or matte black hardware both work without fighting the undertone.

For adjacent walls or accents, reach for warm whites, soft greiges, or deeper navy if you want contrast with backbone. Sherwin-Williams Naval makes a strong companion in a layered room. For furnishings, linen, natural wood, and muted terracotta or rust give Upward something warm to balance against, so the room does not tip cold.

Colors That Clash With Upward

Skip cool, purple-based grays nearby, since they fight the green undertone and make both colors look muddy. Stay away from bright stark whites if your room runs cold already, because the combination can feel clinical. Heavy, glossy finishes also work against it; the soft character of this color shows best in matte or eggshell. And do not assume the chip tells the whole story. This is a color that genuinely shifts with light, so a swatch on the wall is non-negotiable.