May Sun vs RAL 140-5
May Sun (Cloverdale Paint) and RAL 140-5 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the beige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 3-point LRV gap — 83 for May Sun vs 80 for RAL 140-5 — means May Sun will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 3.0 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.
May Sun vs RAL 140-5 in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. May Sun and RAL 140-5 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. May Sun 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. May Sun has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. May Sun has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. May Sun has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
May Sun vs RAL 140-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see May Sun on one side and RAL 140-5 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 May Sun comparisons
See how May Sun stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
With LRVs of 83 and 83, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 83 vs 52, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 30, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 60, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 43, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 84 vs 83), so neither reads brighter in a room.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
May Sun reads slightly lighter (LRV 83 vs 74), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 31, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.