Dakota Shadow vs RAL 840-5
Dakota Shadow (Benjamin Moore) and RAL 840-5 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. These are both green-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within green-grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 12 vs 11 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 4.3 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dakota Shadow vs RAL 840-5 in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Dakota Shadow and RAL 840-5 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Dakota Shadow vs RAL 840-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dakota Shadow on one side and RAL 840-5 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 Dakota Shadow comparisons
See how Dakota Shadow stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 12, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Dakota Shadow reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 12, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 12, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 12, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (12 vs 4) makes Dakota Shadow the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 12, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 12, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 12, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Dakota Shadow encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Dakota Shadow the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 12, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 12, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.