Buxton Blue vs RAL 190-M
Buxton Blue (Benjamin Moore) and RAL 190-M (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 5-point LRV gap — 45 for Buxton Blue vs 40 for RAL 190-M — means Buxton Blue will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.9 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Buxton Blue vs RAL 190-M in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Buxton Blue and RAL 190-M 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Buxton Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Buxton Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Buxton Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Buxton Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Buxton Blue vs RAL 190-M Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Buxton Blue on one side and RAL 190-M 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 Buxton Blue comparisons
See how Buxton Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 45, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (52 vs 45) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 30, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 45, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 4, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
With LRVs of 45 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 45, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 21, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (51 vs 45) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (45 vs 41) makes Buxton Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 45 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 45 vs 31, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.