Greystoke vs RAL 850-4
Greystoke (Cloverdale Paint) and RAL 850-4 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 26 vs 27 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 1.8 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Greystoke vs RAL 850-4 in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Greystoke and RAL 850-4 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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Greystoke vs RAL 850-4 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Greystoke on one side and RAL 850-4 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 Greystoke comparisons
See how Greystoke stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where Greystoke encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where Greystoke encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where Greystoke encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where Greystoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Greystoke is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Greystoke is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Greystoke reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 26), opening up a space where Greystoke encloses it.