Oval Room Blue vs RAL 180-M
Where Oval Room Blue belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, RAL 180-M is a RAL Effect color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. RAL 180-M (LRV 35) reflects noticeably more light than Oval Room Blue (LRV 32), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. The ΔE 5.3 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Oval Room Blue vs RAL 180-M in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Oval Room Blue and RAL 180-M 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
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 brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 180-M gives the walls a little more lift.
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-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 180-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Oval Room Blue vs RAL 180-M Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Oval Room Blue on one side and RAL 180-M 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 Oval Room Blue comparisons
See how Oval Room Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
