Windy City vs RAL 850-5
Where Windy City belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, RAL 850-5 is a RAL Effect color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Windy City (LRV 17) reflects noticeably more light than RAL 850-5 (LRV 14), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. At ΔE 2.8, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.
Color Details
Windy City vs RAL 850-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Windy City on one side and RAL 850-5 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 Windy City comparisons
See how Windy City stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 17, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (17 vs 6) makes Windy City the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 17, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 17, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (27 vs 17) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
Windy City reflects far more light (LRV 17 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 17, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (17 vs 13) makes Windy City the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 17, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 17, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 17, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 17, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (17 vs 12) makes Windy City the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 17, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 5-point LRV gap (17 vs 12) makes Windy City the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 17, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.
Windy City reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 17), opening up a space where Windy City encloses it.