Borrowed Light vs RAL 190-5
Borrowed Light is a Farrow & Ball color while RAL 190-5 comes from RAL Effect. Borrowed Light reads as blue-grey, while RAL 190-5 reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 75 vs 69, RAL 190-5 will read as the brighter of the two — a 5-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 4.8, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Borrowed Light vs RAL 190-5 in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Borrowed Light and RAL 190-5 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. RAL 190-5 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 190-5 gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 190-5 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 190-5 gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 190-5 gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Borrowed Light vs RAL 190-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Borrowed Light on one side and RAL 190-5 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 Borrowed Light comparisons
See how Borrowed Light stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 69), so neither reads brighter in a room.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 69), opening up a space where Borrowed Light encloses it.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 52, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 30, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (69 vs 60) makes Borrowed Light the marginally brighter of the two.
Borrowed Light reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 43, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 4, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 69, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 21, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
Borrowed Light reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 69), opening up a space where Borrowed Light encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 51, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
With LRVs of 69 and 68, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 69 vs 41, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Borrowed Light reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 31, Borrowed Light is decisively the brighter choice.