Hopper Head vs RAL 180-1
Where Hopper Head belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, RAL 180-1 is a RAL Effect color. Hue-wise, Hopper Head belongs to the grey family and RAL 180-1 to the blue family. RAL 180-1 (LRV 49) reflects noticeably more light than Hopper Head (LRV 9), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 40.4, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Hopper Head vs RAL 180-1 in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Hopper Head and RAL 180-1 in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 180-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hopper Head would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 180-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hopper Head.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 180-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hopper Head.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 180-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hopper Head.
Color Details
Hopper Head vs RAL 180-1 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hopper Head on one side and RAL 180-1 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 Hopper Head comparisons
See how Hopper Head stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
